Tales of a Cobalt Vixen
by Katalicious
Summary: What happened after StarFox Adventures, when Krystal joined the team? A collection of Cornerian shorts, set before "The Secrets of Dinosaur Planet." Krystal/Fox. Rating may change.
1. Foxy First Night

So.

I was plotting for "The Secrets of Dinosaur Planet" last night, and a thought occurred to me.

What happened before Krystal (and Fox) left Corneria for Dinosaur Planet?  
Those were Krystal's first few weeks living in a permanent environment ... How did she handle it?  
What was it like joining the Star Fox team? Getting to know Fox?  
... How well did she and Fox actually get to know each other?

SO MANY QUESTIONS.

... So I started this, to answer some of them.

It's going to be a collection of scenes/shorts from those first few weeks of Krystal's new life.  
Hope you enjoy!

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(This first little bit is set directly after the ending cut scene of the game StarFox Adventures.  
Krystal is on the Great Fox, getting adjusted to her new accommodations. Fox pays her a visit.)

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**Krytal's Adventures**

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**Tales of the Cobalt Vixen**  
A Collection of Cornerian Shorts

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**Scene One:** "Foxy First Night"

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Her tail swished softly on her bunk as she regarded the walls of her cabin, spanning her bright, intelligent eyes over every surface.

It was a small room. Understandable.

As a surprise guest, she hadn't expected or desired anything more.

There was a small desk in the corner, which held the usual accoutrements: an intercom to the cockpit, a touchpad for sending intergalactic messages, a neatly folded spare blanket.

Though she was sure the climate on the ship was well regulated, she appreciated the gesture. Orphaned as she was, she'd learned to love the small comforts most of all.

She sighed. At least this was a safe, certain place to sleep.

For now.

There was a soft knock at her door. She looked up, startled.

"Hey, uh, Krystal?" The voice was muffled. "It's Fox." There was silence for a moment.

An uncomfortable aura filled the room. Krystal's lips curved up into a tiny smile.

"You may come in," she said in a clear voice.

The door slid into the adjacent wall with a soft click.

He was standing there, scratching one ear, looking oddly ashamed and embarrassed.

"Hey. Just wanted to apologize for the way my friends were actin' out there," he muttered. His eyes flickered between hers and the floor. "It was pretty uncalled-for."

She chuckled. "Don't worry, Fox." Her voice was soft and comforting. "I promise. I've seen worse."

He raised his eyebrows and lifted his eyes to meet her gaze. "Yeah? ... Well, still." He shuffled from one foot to the other, still uncomfortable.

Krystal spread out her fingers on the clean white bedspread of her bunk, patting a spot beside her. "Come, sit," she said. "You seem tense."

Fox laughed, edging tentatively across the room. "That obvious, huh?" He flicked his tail out of the way and sat down, sighing. "I guess I am kind of an open book."

She gave him an enchanting smile. "All the better."

Fox coughed, realizing he was staring at her, smiling. "So... How are you feeling?" he asked, trying to look serious. "Do you need anything? You were trapped in that thing a long time ..."

"Oh, I've been monitoring my health for the past few days. No need to worry." She brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. Fox watched her fingers twine in the silky blue fur.

She looked up at him through her lashes, and his heart stuttered. "It's nice to know my hero's so thorough," she murmured, leaning toward him and fixing him with her gaze.

His breath caught. Her scent flooded his senses.

As he stared into her sparkling emerald eyes, he was suddenly aware of how close she was, and that they were on a bed. Together.

He stood up quickly.

"Well, uh, I'm gonna go. Just wanted to check on you," he said, suddenly businesslike. Krystal looked up at him, surprised.

"You can stay if you like," she said softly, a small frown arcing her lips. "We've barely had a chance to talk to each other."

Fox stared down into her lovely eyes, and his tail swished. With a twinge of panic, he felt himself getting tongue-tied.

"No, another day. Don't worry," he said, tripping over his words. "Tomorrow. Later."

She started to stand up. "Fox..."

He backed toward the door. "I've gotta go. We'll talk. Later."

He mashed the buttons on the control panel with a blind hand, and before she had a chance to protest, he was gone.

Krystal blinked.

Alone again.

Kicking off her sandals, she stretched out on the bunk. It was surprisingly comfortable.

She sighed.

_Plenty of time to learn more about Fox later,_ she thought.

She smiled, remembering his words.

_"No, another day. Don't worry. Tomorrow. Later."  
__  
_Her smile widened. _So charming when he's nervous._

She closed her eyes and his face flashed behind her eyelids, grinning and debonair.

Her heart fluttered.

_Well, _she thought.

_Isn't this an interesting start to things?_

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**_Fin.  
_**  
... You know what makes this idea so great?  
Anyone can review and ask me to write something they're curious about!

So, if you have any questions or ideas about what should happen with Krystal, please tell me in your review!  
I'm open to (and would LOVE) any suggestions! :3 You can even PM me!

**_Review please!_**  
I'll listen to your words!


	2. The Trouble With Telepathy

**Many, many, many thanks to my wonderful reviewers! **c:

**MadMags:** I love embarrassed Fox, too! X3 He's so precious.  
**The Pyro Fox:** Don't you worry; there's gonna be a wonderful discussion about James McCloud in the near future. c:  
** XxSanitariumxX:** Thank you for the kind words! I'm trying hard to capture them as best I can. I love them so. :3  
**LnCpl. Luke Tamaken:** She did indeed! c; Oh, Krystal, you little fox, you!  
**The Krystal Method:** Just... simply overwhelmed by your kindness. :'3 Backstory is imminent ...! Wait 'till next chapter ... c:  
** Cpt. Fox: **I am so flattered by your comments... you have no idea. I'm glad you enjoy my style! Hopefully my chapters (and paragraphs) will get longer as I get "into" the story.

SO HAPPY YOU ARE ALL ENJOYING. GUH. MY HEART. C':

YOU GUYS. c': I love you.

I can't even. ... :3

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(This is a couple of days after the previous scene, assuming that warp speed is as fantastic as I imagine it to be. :D  
The team arrives on Corneria. Krystal gathers her thoughts, belongings, and makes a little bit of a splash.)

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**Krytal's Adventures**

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**Tales of the Cobalt Vixen**  
A Collection of Cornerian Shorts

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**Chapter Two:** "The Trouble with Telepathy"

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Corneria was beautiful, in its own way.

Lush, verdant farmland sprawled next to thriving cityscapes.  
The shock of green next to the sterile, towering buildings provided an interesting contrast of natural and artificial.

Krystal pressed her nose to the cockpit window, drinking it all in. She'd never seen anything quite like it.

In her travels, she'd become accustomed to ruins, ancient cities rebuilt over centuries; sorcery and spellstones and the unknown beyond the Lylat System.  
Everything here was familiar, yet new. Though this was her first encounter with Corneria, she felt she knew it already.

Of course, telepathy helped.

Fox glanced over at her.

She was so mesmerized, staring out the window. Her ears twitched this way and that as she listened to phantom sounds.

He smiled, feeling a stir of excitement at the thought of introducing her to his home planet.  
Their conversations had been scarce during warp, and he looked forward to the thought of another excuse to talk to her.

_Except that you've had plenty of chances already. You just avoid them._

Fox scoffed at himself.

_Yeah, yeah. I know that. But it's only been a couple days since she got here. I didn't want to overwhelm her, get on her nerves. That'd be __**real **__smart._

Still, the little voice nagged at him until he focused his attention elsewhere. Like the strand of Krystal's hair that fell across her left eye. Or the graceful curve of her back. Maybe the soft, downy fur of her tail that twitched every-

"Hey, Fox, could you come over here a minute?"

Fox jumped at the sound of Peppy's voice. "Uh, sure," he mumbled.

Krystal's ear swiveled toward him, and she turned to glance his way.  
He was turning, crossing over to where Peppy sat, frowning at a panel.

Her eyes traced the two of them.

Peppy. Tense aura. Worried about something, on the screen. Not urgent. Discomfort, frustration.

Fox. Her eyes softened as she regarded him.

She was aware of her attraction to him. It was hard not to be attracted to a rescuer so able, yet so charmingly unsure of himself.

His aura was nervous, but it wasn't because of Peppy's dilemma. Krystal frowned a little, nudging with her powers.

He too was worried about something. Something different.  
Something organic, mobile, unpredictable.  
Something new.  
Something close.

Then, slowly, he turned his eyes up to meet hers.  
They softened as he gazed at her across the room, beautiful and stunningly green.

_You_, murmured a voice inside of her, filled with yearning.

It wasn't her voice.

She jerked out of his mind, blinking, her long eyelashes fluttering. It broke Fox's gaze, which he quickly turned downward.

She looked at her feet.

_Well,_ she thought bitterly. _Happy you nosed in?_

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Beside the standard Star Fox ships, hers looked bizarre.  
It was shaped differently, colored differently, and in all likelihood constructed out of entirely different materials.

She watched the others flash by as she rode in the little towing machine, ready to retrieve her belongings as soon as possible.  
When the machine parked her ship in an empty alcove, she jumped out quickly, immediately accessing her cockpit.  
An unseen door hissed, outlining blue, and slid away to give her clearance. She hopped inside.

Several minutes later, she was backing out of said doorway when a voice nearly scared her out of her skin.

"Need any help?"

It was Falco. He cocked his feathered, cocky head at her, raising one eyebrow.

She grinned. "No, thank you Falco. I can manage."

"You sure? I hate seeing a pretty girl sruggle."

Krystal laughed. "Believe me, I can handle myself."

"Alright, alright," he conceded, backing away. "I don't doubt it. But don't come cryin' to me when you tear a ligament."

She flashed him one of her most stunning smiles. Boggled, he just stared at her, letting her pass.

"Be careful with that thing!" he shouted.

She was so busy grinning to herself that she barely missed crashing into Fox.

"Hey, hey, woah!" he sputtered, dodging her large bag of knick knacks.

"Sorry, Fox!" she cried, teetering, losing her balance.

He reached out, grabbing her arm to steady her. "Careful there," he said. "Can't have you keeling over after all the trouble it took to get you here."

Krystal laughed shakily. She hadn't quite been able to shake the intensity of his earlier thoughts. Glancing up into his eyes didn't help.

"You alright?" he asked, eyebrows raised.

"Yeah," she sighed. "Yes, I'm just fine."

"Do you need some help with that?" He gestured to her large knapsack.

She giggled, but before she could speak, Falco answered for her.

"Don't even try, Fox," he said, coming up behind her. "She's a whole lotta woman."

She grinned bashfully, but shouldered the bag higher, confirming his words.

Fox sighed. "Alright, fine. But it feels weird to let a girl handle all that alone."

Exasperated, Falco scoffed. "That's what I said!"

Krystal chuckled and pressed on, past both of them. They ogled her with astonishment.

"Is she trying to prove something?" asked Falco.

"I don't think so," said Fox.

"I hope you know I can hear both of you," Krystal called back.

The boys looked at each other.

Falco shook his head. "She's your problem," he murmured, nudging him with his elbow.

_I wish,_thought Fox, watching her walk away.

_... Boy do I wish._

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**_Fin._**

Questions, ideas, suggestions: PLEASE keep telling me! c:  
I LOVE your insight! It's so fantastic. :3 You can even PM me!

And make sure you check out my deviantart at the account frenzied-insanity!  
I recently painted a portrait of Fox as well as Krystal, set in this timeline! :D

**_Review please!_**  
I'll listen to your words!


	3. The New Girl

**Many, many, many thanks to my wonderful reviewers! **c:

**bryan mccloud: **Krytal can definitely hold her own against 'em! c:  
**The Pyro Fox: **Ohohoho, yes. YES. :3  
**LnCpl. Luke Tamaken:** Your kindness leaves me speechless. I hope I can keep writing chapters you enjoy. c:  
** Cpt. Fox: **Trying to follow my heart! :D And yes, it deleted your name for some reason! Hahaha. As always, thanks for the encouragement!

You guys keep me going. Thanks again, as always. *hug*

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(Krystal wakes up after spending her first night in Star Fox headquarters.  
She's ready to start her new life as a teammate ... if the boys will let her.)

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* * *

**Krytal's Adventures**

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**Tales of the Cobalt Vixen**  
A Collection of Cornerian Shorts

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**Chapter Three:** "The New Girl"

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The pale light of early morning streamed in through the windows lining Krystal's quarters. She blinked, rousing from a peaceful, soothing dream. Though she couldn't remember any details, it left her with a warm feeling, deep in her core. She woke with a smile, stretching languidly, feeling her muscles tense and release all the way down to the tip of her tail. Then she slid her feet to the floor, making up the bed behind her.

First day at the headquarters of Star Fox. Her tail flicked at the thought. She fetched a fitted turquoise bandeau from her knapsack, and wrapped a loincloth around her waist, wondering what was in store for her here as honorary member of the team. As she walked over to the door to grab her staff, a blinking light caught her eye. The panel to the right of the doorframe flashed, pale blue. She touched a button to activate it, and a computerized voice rang out, summoning her downstairs, to the lobby.

She peeked out of her room. She looked to the right, then the left. No one was in the corridor. Frowning, she slung her staff over her shoulder and stepped outside into the abandoned hallway, heading for the elevator alcove.

_I wonder where Fox stays,_ she mused, suddenly remembering her accidental insight into his feelings. Her face grew warm. _I didn't do it on purpose_, she told herself. Not that it was particularly hard to guess. She grinned as she approached the dinging elevator, gently shaking her head. Men really did underestimate the power of female intuition. That was something she was sure of, telepathy or no.

"It's almost as though he's come out and said it to me himself," she murmured, thinking back on their brief acquaintance. Every glance, every touch: all of them were heavy with the delicious, terrifying tension everyone craves. And dreads...

A voice rang in her ear. "You talk to yourself often?"

She looked up, shocked to see Falco smiling out at her from the open doors of the elevator.

"You're up early," she said, voice gentle.

He grinned. "Look who's talkin.'"

She stepped into the sleek metal pod, glancing at him briefly before she turned to face the doors. His eyes followed her.

"Cute outfit," he said appraisingly.

The corner of her mouth twitched up. "Thank you."

They stood in silence for a moment while tinny music seeped out of the ceiling.

Falco coughed. "So..." She felt his eyes on her again. "You excited?"

She ran a hand slowly through her hair, touching the base of an ear. "... More nervous, really," she said honestly, glancing over at her tall, feathery companion.

He chuckled. "Don't be. I saw how you handled that knapsack." He winked down at her.

She smiled up at him, amused, and a memory suddenly seared through her mind. Her eyes widened. _He reminds me of him_, she thought, the familiarity piercing her heart. It made her shiver. No. Don't think of those that are gone forever. Don't think of the faces you'll never see.

"Cold?" asked Falco, noticing.

Krystal shook her head. "Oh, no, I'm fine."

But he was already removing his leather jacket, slipping it around her small shoulders.

"Take it anyway," he said, his voice gentle, sincere. Then his eyes sparkled mischief at her. "You'll give ol' Fox a heart attack if he sees you in that skimpy thing this early in the morning." He looked her up and down. "Not to mention everyone else," he sighed.

The elevator doors clicked, then slid open. Krystal stood there, feeling vaguely awkward, lost in the folds of Falco's too-big jacket. He gestured out the door with one of his wings. "Ladies first," he said, bowing.

She rolled her eyes good-naturedly, following the line of his arm.

The lobby was bright, glowing with streaming morning sunshine, supplied by various windows and skylights. Krystal gasped. She'd only ever seen it at night, dark and still. Last night, to be precise.

But in the daytime, it was stunning. The floor sparkled, tiled in shades of cool metallic white and silver. Pale walls spanned wide around her, lined with windows, every free space decorated with plaques and portraits. Tall plants sprung up here and there: near a desk in the corner, in the middle of the floor space, beside a doorway. She wanted to touch one to make sure it was real.

"Pretty, huh?" said Falco behind her, and she turned to nod agreement.

But he wasn't talking to her.

He was talking _about_ her, nudging a nearby security guard.

She gave Falco a look that could kill. The security guard gulped and looked anywhere but her eyes. Falco only shrugged. "Sue me for pointing out the obvious," he said, grinning.

Krystal rolled her eyes again. "Are you going to show me where to rendezvous, or do I need to find someone with a brain that _isn't_ completely overrun by testosterone?"

"Good luck," he smirked. "Especially around here."

She sighed. _I don't need telepathy to believe that_.

"Fine then," she said, strolling up to him, setting her jaw. She grabbed his wing with firm fingers. "If you're taking me, take me." He stared down at her in shock, gaping a little.

"Woah." She caught a glimpse of awe in his eyes.

"March," she said, fixing him with a bold stare. His feet moved automatically, and he looked down at them as though they'd sprung up out of thin air.

He glanced back at her, blinking. "You're good," he murmured.

"I know," said Krystal, smug.

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Fox twisted around on the barstool, trying to get comfortable. General Pepper loved meeting in the old lounge that adjoined headquarters. Even in the morning, the walls were dark, the wood was well-polished, and cool jazz crooned through the smoky air, drifting in and out like the wispy endings of dreams.

He sipped on a glass of water, surprised that he was the early bird. Of course, he hadn't slept well at all, alternating between recurring nightmares and a new one where Krystal plummeted to her death in Krazoa Palace, slipping right through his fingers.

_What a thought._ He closed his eyes, trying to push it away.

Falco's voice made him jump. "Hey, buddy!"

Fox looked up, glancing toward the sound. There was Falco, and, wouldn't you know it, Krystal, her arms looped around his wing.

Fox blinked, frowning. _What the ... _

"Is that your _jacket_?" he asked, unable to contain himself.

"Woah, woah, easy boy." Falco lifted his hands innocently, causing Krystal to step away. "The girl was cold. I'm not trying to encroach on your territory."

Fox choked. "My _territory_?"

Krystal was rolling her eyes. "Alright, that's enough of that," she said, patiently exasperated. "I have ears, and eyes, and a brain, thank you. I _can_ hear you, and I am not _anyone's _territory." She shrugged off Falco's garment, handing it over to him. "This is yours, thank you for persistently lending it to me." Then she stepped over to the bar, taking the seat to Fox's right. "A very good morning to you, Fox," she said, fixing him with her eyes.

He just looked at her, unable to speak.

Falco took the left-hand seat, crossing his arms on the counter. "It's not polite to stare," he whispered loudly, nudging Fox with his elbow.

"Good morning," Fox blurted. He took a sip of his water, focusing on it.

She watched him. "So tell me. What's the plan for today?"

Fox shrugged. "I have no idea," he said into his glass. And he honestly didn't. "Gotta wait for General Pepper to show up."

"_If_ he shows up," murmured Falco, leaning over the counter to fill a glass with water from a tap. "You want one, Krystal?"

"Sure," she said quietly. "What do we do if he doesn't show?"

Fox shrugged again. "Dunno. Maybe go to the training deck. Target practice or something."

"Oh!" Falco leaned toward Krystal. "You could learn how to work a blaster! Oh man, now _that's_ somethin' I wanna see." He handed her a frosty glass.

She took a long sip, smiling against the cool lip. "I think I'll stick with my staff, thanks."

Fox glanced at her and grinned. "Afraid to try something new?"

"Afraid I'm a better shot that you?" she asked, looking up at him through her lashes.

Falco laughed. "She's on a roll today!"

Fox's tail twitched, and he sat up tall, holding her gaze. "Is that a challenge?"

"Yeah," she said, grinning. "I think it is."

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**_Fin._**

**Questions, ideas, suggestions:** keep 'em comin'! c:  
You guys are so inspirational... I can't even put it into words. :3

And make sure you check out my deviantart at the account frenzied-insanity!  
I recently painted portraits of both Fox and Krystal! (I'm obscenely proud of them.)

**_Review please!_**  
I'll listen to your words!


	4. Target Practice

**Many, many, many thanks to my wonderful reviewers! **c:

**MadMags: **I KNOW RIGHT? I love Falco. And he _does_ seem especially friendly to the ladies... c:  
I always admired Krystal, and wanted to portray her as a strong female character ... because ... well ... she** is.  
**So. I'm glad to hear some appreciation for that! :3 AND YES. OH FOX. SO SILLY.****

XxSanitariumxX: Thank you so much! I'm just floored by your compliments! c:  
I'll try to keep up the good work! I'm so excited that you enjoy my writing and my style!  
**  
bryan mccloud: **Hehehehe...

**LnCpl. Luke Tamaken:** When I read your review, I was filled with this warm lovely feeling. Thank you so much.  
I'm so glad that you're becoming involved in the story! And I'm glad I can write Fox and Krystal in a way that you like. :3

** Cpt. Fox: **Goodness! A 9000 word chapter? ... *faints* I think I'll just stick to the fluff. c;  
And thank you for your compliments on my writing and art! You get a big hug for that!**  
**

You guys keep me going. Thanks again, as always. *lots of hugs*

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(Krystal and the boys have a little fun during target practice.)

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* * *

**Krytal's Adventures**

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**Tales of the Cobalt Vixen**  
A Collection of Cornerian Shorts

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**Chapter Four:** "Target Practice"

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A shower of sparks erupted in the center of the target, leaving behind a smoldering circle of flames.

Krystal grinned. "Beat that."

Fox looked down the barrel of his blaster, lining up his eye with the sights. "You bet." His finger twitched against the trigger, three times fast, and the flashing beam left behind a perfectly centered triangle of smoking holes. He smirked. "Ready to forfeit?"

Then a blue laser seared through Fox's target, leaving one large hole in the center. Fox and Krystal looked over to where Falco stood, trying to look innocent. Heat rippled off of the muzzle of his blaster. Krystal giggled, shouldering her staff. "Alright," she said. "Give me one."

The boys looked up at her, surprised. Falco's smile reached his eyes. "You're gonna try it?"

She nodded.

"But…" Fox glanced between the two of them. "She doesn't know how they work."

She lifted a pretty eyebrow at him, hand on her hip. "Don't underestimate me. I'm a fast learner."

"I know," he said. "But I don't want you hurting yourself before you figure it out."

A smile tugged at the corners of her lips. "You're still just worried I'll beat you," she said softly, fixing him with her eyes. He gazed into them, and his mouth went dry.

"Alright loverboy," Falco moaned. "Take it easy. Give the girl a chance."

Fox stared at him in horror, dumbfounded. Krystal pretended not to notice.

Falco waved his wing at them dismissively, walking to the supply closet at the end of the room. There was a panel next to the door. He entered an access code and the door slid open, revealing a stash of weaponry. "Here ya go," he said, turning to Krystal and gesturing to the rack of blasters. "Take your pick."

She walked over tentatively, tail flicking. "Hmm." The selection was sizable, overwhelming to someone unaccustomed to the technology. "Do you recommend a particular one?" she asked, looking up at Falco with earnest emerald eyes.

"You're gonna want the standard A-model," interjected Fox, stepping between them. Falco rolled his eyes. "It's the easiest to handle," Fox continued. "Fastest cooldown rate, with low to moderate energy output." He nodded, mostly to himself.

Krystal looked between him and the rack of blasters. "Which one is that?" she asked, feeling uncharacteristically timid. She knew nothing about these weapons…

Fox stepped up and snatched a blaster from the closet, holding it out to her. It was smaller than the one she'd seen him using. It also seemed simpler, less complicated. _Of course,_ she thought, looking down at the plain, barebones weapon. _This is standard-issue equipment. Fox's personal blaster must be modified to suit him better._ She reached out and took the grip in her fingers, lifting it from Fox's hands. For its size, it felt incredibly light. Her eyebrows lifted in surprise, and she turned it around in her hands, examining it.

Falco was grinning over at her, slowly shaking his head. "Well, it's official," he said. "Nothing makes me happier than seein' a girl's first gun."

Fox reached over and punched him in the ribs, but he smiled as he flinched away. "Hey, it's a special time!" Falco shouted, laughing as Fox tried to punch him again.

Beside them, Krystal was turning the blaster over and over, scouring every inch with her eyes. Based on what she'd seen the boys doing today, she was confident she could figure this out. She'd studied the basics of weaponry back on Cerinia.

She slowly wrapped her forefinger around the trigger, feeling the smooth metal. Then, with her other hand, she deactivated the safety. The blaster hummed in her hands, prepared to discharge a beam of focused energy. She could literally feel the power radiating against her fingers.

Fox and Falco were still goofing off when she made her first shot. The bright purple beam streaked across the room, completely off-track.

Shamefaced, she glanced at the boys. They hadn't noticed. A quick nudge into their minds confirmed this. She cradled the blaster in her hands, weighing it, letting it become an extension of her body. Her eyes fluttered shut.

"_With any technique, the key is this: let it enter your body."_

The memory of a deep, vibrant voice flooded her mind.

"_Let it become one with your soul. When body and mind combine … only then can you do truly magnificent things. Only then can you become a master."_

It was her father. She opened her eyes, blinking away tears. His words still rang through her head as she lined up her sights, taking a deep, calming breath. Then, exhaling, she pulled the trigger.

The target rippled as the blast pulsed through it. The boys turned from their shenanigans to see Krystal, blaster in hand, heat radiating from its muzzle. She'd flipped the safety back on and smirked at the two of them, her tail curling behind her.

"What do you think?" she asked, her voice soft and coy.

Fox and Falco stared at her for a minute. Then they turned their eyes to the practice room, looking for a freshly scorched target. Fox frowned. All of the other targets were still as stone. He turned to Falco, who gave him a confused shrug.

"Take a look at your old target, Fox," murmured Krystal, suddenly beside him. He could feel her breath on his cheek, her hand tickling up his arm. He looked quickly in the direction of his target from earlier in the day. Yes, there was the hole Falco blasted in the middle. If she shot through that, how would he know? The wall was scorched from the other shots.

"You're not looking in the right place," she continued, her face even closer. "I picked a different bull's-eye." She looked at him through her lashes. He stared at her for a moment, distracted, unable to process her words.

"… What?" he asked gently, blinking.

"I picked the center of something else to shoot."

His eyes turned back to the target. He looked at it from top to bottom, becoming more and more confused. "… The center of something else?"

She nodded, smiling at him. "Something you carry with you always."

_Something I carry with me always? _He'd never been very good with riddles.

_What the heck is she talking about?_

He felt her fingertip press against his chest, and he looked down. She was touching his ID. The white plastic card glinted up at him, showing his face printed underneath the text: FOX MCCLOUD.

_My name!_

His eyes darted back to the target, and he saw it. There was a hole blasted right where the "o" in Fox should be. He glanced back at Krystal, and shook his head.

"Is there anything you can't do?" he asked, awestruck.

She shook her head. "Nope."

"Damn," said Falco, giving a low whistle. He was staring at her, his eyes filled with unmistakable wonder. "You're gonna give us all a run for our money."

"I certainly hope so," she said, smiling.

"Hey," Fox said gently, thinking. "I have an idea."

Falco looked at him with raised eyebrows. "Yeah?"

Fox grinned. "Let's do a simulation tomorrow."

Krystal glanced between the boys. "A simulation?" she asked, her voice soft.

"Oh, yeah!" said Falco, looking gleeful. "This is gonna rock!"

She looked at Fox imploringly, and he met her eyes.

"A flight simulator," he explained, his eyes flickering between hers. "We'll simulate a battle, piloting our Arwings."

Krystal raised her eyebrows. "And you want me to join you?"

He nodded, grinning.

She placed a hand on her hip. "Alright."

_Time to show these boys what I'm really made of._

* * *

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**_Fin._**

**Questions, ideas, suggestions:** keep 'em comin'! c:

And make sure you check out my deviantart at the account frenzied-insanity!  
I recently painted portraits of both Fox and Krystal! (I'm obscenely proud of them.)

**_Review please!_**  
I'll listen to your words!


	5. First Sight

**Many, many, many thanks to my wonderful reviewers! **c:

**The Pyro Fox:** It was an excellent suggestion! I had so much fun writing it. c:  
**Dixxy:** *blushes* Thank you so much for your kindness! I'm so flattered that I could impress you like that! I hope you keep reading! :D  
**bryan mccloud: **I'm looking forward to writing the simulation scene! c:  
**LnCpl. Luke Tamaken:** You give such extraordinarily sweet reviews. Thank you for being so awesome! :3  
**Cpt. Fox: ***hugs back* Thank you as always, my dear! It's nice to have such an accomplished fellow romance writer who enjoys my style! c:  
I love writing Fox and Krystal. Their characters are really conducive to good fluff. :3 (And I hope the coke didn't ruin anything!)**  
**

I love all of you so much. You bring the biggest smiles to my face. :)  
Thanks again, as always. *lots of hugs*

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(Krystal goes out after target practice to explore the city.  
She has an interesting time meeting some Cornerians.)

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* * *

**Krytal's Adventures**

* * *

**Tales of the Cobalt Vixen**  
A Collection of Cornerian Shorts

* * *

**Chapter Five:** "First Sight"

* * *

She felt particularly light on her feet as she returned to her quarters, all smiles. Her success with the blaster filled her with a productive sense of accomplishment. She skipped up stairs, nodded to bewildered security guards, even shouted hello to Peppy from across the lobby, saluting him with her staff. By the time she reached her room, tail flicking, it was quite obvious that she wasn't going to get any down time. She had too much energy to burn.

"Computer," she called, addressing the control panel just inside her room. The tiny screen flashed on, alert, as she closed the door behind her. "List entertainment in Corneria City."

"Please narrow search," replied the calm digital voice.

Krystal thought for a moment, pursing her lips. "Hmm."

_I want to see the city. The citizens. _

"List cafés," she said in a clear voice.

"Listing." The machine hummed as it reached deep into its archives, thinking. After a moment, it sighed, and the humming stopped. Numbers flashed on the tiny screen. "Found nine-thousand, three-hundred and sixty-eight results. Narrow search?"

Krystal gaped. "Oh." She blinked. "Cafés near current location?"

"Found thirty-three cafés within twenty blocks."

"Serving coffee and liquor?"

It thought for a moment. "Found nine." Names appeared on the screen, scrolling down. "Reviews recommend: Tartufo, Knick Knack, Café Jesperia."

She liked the sound of the last one. "Directions to Café Jesperia?"

The computer whirred. A tiny map replaced the names on the screen. "Exit building to right. Right on Harding. Right on Main. Address 1202 Main. Hours 7:00 to 12:00, 16:00 to 2:00." A red light flashed, indicating destination.

"Thank you, computer," she said, making a mental note. "Dismissed."

"My pleasure." The screen flashed, fading.

_Visiting a café._ She grinned.

_This should be quite fun._

She shrugged out of her turquoise bandeau, untied her loincloth, and shook out her fur. Exploring the city called for something a bit less casual. She dug through the contents of her knapsack, frowning. _I need Cornerian clothes._ Oh well. She pulled out an airy white sun robe, of the style common on Cerinia. It was a very girlish dress, ruched in the chest, with a knee-length, layered skirt. She fastened the ties at her neck and waist. The loose ends fluttered like scarves behind her.

She rummaged in her knapsack again, retrieving shiny white bracelets and a matching anklet. She snapped them on, then examined her appearance in the bedroom mirror, adjusting her skirt here, twirling a bracelet there.

"Oh!" A thought occurred to her. She bent over, reaching into a side-pocket, lifting out a thin plastic card. This was a currency voucher that Fox had given her, back on the Great Fox before they landed. The memory flooded her mind, and she grinned.

"_You can use this to buy things in the city." He scratched his head, looking bashful. "Technically this card's in my name, but … well, as long as that's fine with you, it's fine with me." He stuttered. "I mean, not that I'm forcing you to use my account. You can set up your own when we get there, if you want. And it doesn't mean that you owe me anything or something." He coughed. "What I'm trying to say is that you're on the Star Fox payroll now. So you really don't need to worry about money. But I wouldn't go crazy and buy tons of stuff. Not that you would anyway."_

She remembered putting her hand on his arm, trying to calm him down.

"_It's okay," she said gently. "I understand. This is a voucher for money in your account, yes?"_

He'd nodded, giving a big gulp. She remembered the adorable look in his green eyes.

_She smiled, squeezing his arm. "I'll only use it until I know enough to make my own account."_

She cradled the hard little rectangle of plastic, tapping the middle. It read _**Cornericard**_, in bright iridescent letters, surrounded by little square symbols she didn't understand. She slipped it into a pocket on her dress. After hesitating a moment about her staff, she stepped out the door. Weapons on the city street were probably illegal. Besides, she knew how to defend herself.

Whistling, she stepped toward the elevator, half expecting Falco to jump out when it reached her floor. But he wasn't there, and she rode down to the lobby completely alone. Tinny music crooned at her, breaking the silence, and she felt a little bit sad to be in such solitude.

_Did you expect someone to anticipate your plans? To join you out of nowhere?_ She scoffed at herself. This was ridiculous. It was better to go on her own, anyway. Independent exploration was her specialty.

The lobby was almost deserted. A few security guards stood at their posts, and a clerk manned the front desk, but there was no sign of anyone she knew.

_I only know about five people,_ she reminded herself. _Very unlikely to see any of them._

Determined, she headed for the front doors, and stepped out into the beautiful afternoon sunlight.

The city was lovely, in an unconventional way. It was breathtaking. She stared up at the buildings as she walked down the street, basking in the newness of it all. There were a million smells. Every block surprised her. Beautiful clothing beckoned from storefront windows; vendors peddled strange foods on the curb; a scruffy person wrapped in papers slept against a drainpipe. Krystal stared at him, trying to figure him out. He looked catlike… But he could be anything, really…

Someone bumped harshly against her, pushing her toward the homeless man. She gasped, frowning, staring at the person. It was a girl her age. She had inky black fur and wore tall heels, short shorts, and a shimmering midriff top. Her long, fuzzy ears were pulled back behind her head with a gold ribbon.

She glanced back at Krystal for a moment, her pretty eyes arrogant and dismissive. Then she turned around and continued down the sidewalk. Krystal wanted to kick her, right in the stubby tail that poked over the hem of her shorts.

_I'm not sure I like Cornerians,_ she thought bitterly, continuing toward Café Jesperia. Luckily, no one else seemed quite as rude as that saucy bunny, but she kept an eye out and made sure to put plenty of distance between herself and the others on the street.

Finally, she could see the gilded façade of her destination. Her pace quickened as she approached, and she stepped through the doors of Café Jesperia as though they were her lifeline.

Jazz flooded her ears. It was cool inside, romantic and welcoming.

She took a deep breath, drinking in the scent of good coffee and homemade bread.

"Welcome to Café Jesperia," said a soft, sexy voice to her right. Krystal turned to see a tall girl dressed in a fitted black suit. Shiny auburn curls draped around her shoulders, and her long floppy canine ears were covered in matching ringlets. "Let me show you to a seat?"

Krystal smiled, nodding. "Yes, please," she said.

"Any preference?"

Krystal looked around the room, wondering where she should sit. Cozy booths rimmed the walls; velvet armchairs surrounded dark-polished tables. Cushy barstools lined a long, shiny countertop, decorated with candles.

"I'll sit at the bar," she decided, and the hostess nodded, leading her over to an empty area.

"Enjoy," the spaniel said, her voice caressing the word. Then she stepped back to the door to greet the next customer.

Krystal slid onto the barstool. It was delightfully comfortable. She leaned against the countertop, filled with a sense of adventure. Her first outing in Corneria City! So exciting.

"Hey there," called a friendly voice. She looked up to see the bartender approaching, a wide smile stretched across his wolfish muzzle. "How are you this evening, pretty lady?"

She grinned. "Oh, I'm just wonderful now that I'm here."

"That's what I like to hear," he said appreciatively, leaning across the bar. "Anything I can get ya?

"Hmm." Krystal looked up at the chalkboard behind his head, listing the evening's specials. "What's in the 'cosmic colada?'"

He nodded. "Oh yeah. Excellent choice. Sweet coconut cream, pineapples and rum. I blend 'em together with our own homemade vanilla bean ice cream. You're gonna love it."

The thought of a sweet, creamy drink made her mouth water. "I'll take it, then," she said softly, her eyes sparkling at him. "You've convinced me."

He winked, twirling away to make the drink.

She watched him work, skillfully scooping out chunks of golden fruit, pouring thick, silky cream. He filled a metal tumbler with dollops of black-speckled ice cream. She could smell the heavenly vanilla as he blended it smooth, then poured the pineapples-and-cream over the top.

"The finishing touch," he announced, reaching up and flipping a bottle of amber liquor from the wall. "This is my favorite," he added, glancing at Krystal confidentially. "Best rum I've ever tasted." He splashed some into the frosty tumbler. Then he clipped on a lid, slipped it into a machine on the wall, and pushed a button. It whirred. The tumbler quivered.

Meanwhile, the bartender was preparing a flute. It was long-stemmed and shaped like a chalice, but made entirely of sturdy-looking yellow glass. He had it flipped upside down in a shallow dish of water. Then he dipped it in another dish, filled with sugar.

Before Krystal could blink, he whipped out the tumbler, pulled off the lid, and poured the contents into the sugar-rimmed glass.

"Here you are," he said, handing her the finished product. "A sweet drink for a sweet little lady."

She stared at it. It was almost too beautiful. The sugar rim glittered as she brought the glass to her lips, taking a sip of the creamy, frothy drink.

"Mmm," she said, accidentally smacking her lips. It was incredible.

The bartender chuckled. "Told ya."

She took another, deeper sip. "This is amazing," she said softly.

He winked at her. "Let me know if you need anything else." Then he vanished behind a curtain.

Krystal was delighted to lose herself in the heavenly drink. She sipped and sipped, savoring the cool, creamy flavors. Pineapple and vanilla… _Don't forget that combination._

The doors to the café banged open.

Startled, Krystal looked up.

A pretty, sunset-colored girl was talking frantically to the hostess.

"It's okay," the hostess was saying, patting the girl's shoulder. "Come on, sit down, I'll ask Lux if he can fix you something."

"Thank you so much, Hazel," said the girl, her voice tense. Krystal noticed that she had wings. "This is so nice of you."

"Not a problem," said the spaniel in her sexy voice. "After everything you've done for me?" She gestured to her fitted suit. The girl smiled weakly, and Hazel looked worried. "Follow me," she said quickly. "Let's sit you down over here."

To Krystal's surprise, Hazel led the girl to the bar, just a few seats down. "I'll go get Lux," she was saying, patting the girl's shoulder reassuringly. "Just give me one minute." Then Hazel was gone, through another curtain.

Krystal stared at the newcomer.

She was very tall, but hunched awkwardly over the bar. Her light blue dress was covered in sequins, which glimmered whenever she moved. It offset her fiery colors beautifully.

Long strands of tufty golden feathers, like hair, framed her face. Her shoulders slumped under her folded wings, and when she crossed her arms, Krystal noticed that her skin was made up of smooth, glittering scales.

_A dragon, _she noted. _A dragon with feathers._

The girl glanced over at Krystal and blushed, pressing her little feathery dragon ears flat against her head.

"Hey," she said quietly.

Krystal's eyes widened, caught off-guard. "Hello."

They were both quiet.

"Sorry for staring," murmured Krystal.

"It's fine," the girl said. "I _was_ making a scene…"

"I'm sure you have your reasons," Krystal said quickly. "It's never polite to stare."

The girl gave a weak grin. "I would've."

Krystal grinned back.

The curtain flew open, and the wolfish bartender dashed out. He looked angry and resigned.

"I'm gonna kick his ass," he said, vaulting over the bar like an athlete.

"No, stop it Lux," said the dragon girl. She reached out to touch his arm with long, delicate fingers. "It's not a big deal. Really."

Lux stood beside her, putting a protective arm around her shoulders. "Oh, but it is." He sighed, sounding tired. "He's messing with the wrong girl this time. Someone needs to show him what a douche he really is."

Hazel nodded in agreement, walking calmly back through the curtain to the front of the café.

The dragon girl looked at both of them with wide eyes. "No, Lux, please don't," she said, staring earnestly up at the bartender. "Okay? I really just want to forget about everything."

He groaned, pulling her right off the barstool into a huge bear hug. She squealed, blushing. "Fine," he said, dragging out the word. "I won't do anything. For now." The girl started to protest, but Lux cut her off. "Nope, I make no promises. I won't do anything right now, because you said so. But I _will_ kick his ass later if I have to."

"Fine," she mumbled, muffled by his shoulder.

"Alright." He set her back down on the barstool. "Be right back. Gotta tell the manager I'm not taking the rest of the night off." He winked at the girl, kissing her on the cheek. She rolled her eyes as he vaulted back over the bar, disappearing behind the curtain.

"He's right, you know," Hazel called from across the room.

The girl groaned, burying her face in her arms.

"I'm such an idiot," she grumbled.

Krystal turned back to her drink, sucking down the last little bit. _This is none of my business,_ she thought. _I have no right to get involved._ She tensed up, trying to resist the urge to nudge.

"Sorry I ruined your evening," said the girl, and Krystal noticed that she was looking up at her apologetically. Her eyes were a shockingly pale violet color.

"No, no," said Krystal, shaking her head. "You didn't ruin anything. I'm just trying not to be nosy."

That made the girl laugh. It was a real, genuine laugh. "Oh, please," she chuckled. "Nose on in. I don't care."

Krystal's eyes widened. "Really?"

The girl nodded. "I'm an open book. And I respect your bluntness." She turned to face her, extending a delicate, scaly hand. "My name's Divya, by the way."

Krystal took her warm, silky fingers in her own.

"Krystal. Pleased to meet you." They shook hands.

"Ooh," purred Divya, brushing a shiny lock of sunset feathers behind her ear. "Krystal. That's a pretty name." She grinned, and Krystal could see her fangs.

"I think Divya's a beautiful name." Krystal smiled. "A beautiful name for a beautiful girl."

Divya blushed. "Oh my goodness," she said dismissively, staring down at her hands. "Look who's talkin'." She peeked up at Krystal through her long, feathery lashes. "You're one of the most gorgeous people I've ever seen."

Krystal bit her lip, feeling her own cheeks heat up. "Thank you," she murmured. "That's so kind of you."

"Treat others how you'd like to be treated, right?" Divya winked.

"Good mantra," agreed Krystal. "You seem to be cheering up a bit, too!"

The dragon shrugged. "Life's too short to be upset. Still..." She sighed, wringing her hands.

Krystal reached out, touching Divya's shoulder, but the dragon hunched closer to the bar.

"I know we've only just met," said Krystal, "but... I think I'm a rather compassionate person, and... it makes me sad to see you like this."

Divya peeked up at the vixen again, looking sheepish. "Pretty bad way to start a friendship, right?"

"Don't all the best friendships get off on a strange foot?"

Divya smiled. "Maybe so. I mean, I hope so."

"I know so," said Krystal, smiling back.

And she was right.

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So excited to write Divya and Krystal's first meeting. :3  
Next up: More Fox/Krystal fluff and the flight simulator! Woohoo!

**Questions, ideas, suggestions:** keep 'em comin'! c:

And make sure you check out my deviantart at the account frenzied-insanity!  
You can find a character portrait of Divya there, as well as many paintings of Krystal!

**_Review please!_**  
I'll listen to your words!


	6. Intoxicated

**Many, many, many thanks to my wonderful reviewers! **c:**  
**  
**Dixxy: **Thank you so much! I'm so glad you're enjoying it! :3  
**bryan mccloud: **It's gonna be SO much fun! XD  
**LnCpl. Luke Tamaken:** Yep! And I've taken note of your requests! c:  
**WvHawkvW: **Oh yes. Far too short.**  
**

I love all of you so much. You bring the biggest smiles to my face. :)  
Thanks again, as always. *lots of hugs*

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(Sometimes it's best not to get drunk.)

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* * *

**Krytal's Adventures**

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**Tales of the Cobalt Vixen**  
A Collection of Cornerian Shorts

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**Chapter Six:** "Intoxicated"

* * *

"This is it!" Krystal called out, relieved. The walk back to headquarters from Café Jesperia seemed much longer than it had this afternoon. She blamed Lux for that.

Well, mostly his cosmic coladas.

"Thank you for walking me back," she told her new friends, giving them a big, drunken grin.

Divya, Hazel, and Lux all smiled back.

"No problem!" Lux clapped a hand on her back. "Come hang out with us again soon!"

Krystal waved goodbye to the three of them, then turned to face the darkened doors of the lobby.

"I hope this works," she mumbled under her pineapple-scented breath.

She pressed her hand against a panel to the right of the door. Immediately, it lit up, engulfing her hand in a square of blue light.

"Identity verified," stated a calm computer voice. The lock clicked. "Enter the premises."

Krystal breathed a sigh of relief, opening the door and stepping quickly inside. It shut with a hiss, and the locks clicked back on.

A few lights flickered as she stepped into the lobby, illuminating a path to the elevator. She stumbled through the room.

"I'm worse off than I thought," she said to herself, miserable. _I shouldn't have had that last one. I could have done without. _But the flavor still caressed her tongue, and she knew she wouldn't have refused it. Not in a thousand universes.

"_This one's on the house," said Lux, pouring her the third luscious cosmic colada. Krystal stared at it in horror. _

"_I couldn't," she protested, but her voice was weak and her inhibitions were even weaker. Even as she spoke, she was pulling the glass to her lips. The bartender grinned._

"_No one can resist my cosmic coladas."_

Krystal scoffed.

"I will next time!" she told the darkened lobby, a little too loud. "You can count on it. Stupid Lux." She gave her hair a drunken flip.

Then she fell over.

Inside her own mind, it felt like slow-motion. She fell through the air, too-graceful, almost as though she'd planned it. It took far too long for the floor to meet her.

But when it did, it hurt.

"Ow," she moaned, squeezing her eyes shut. "Oh, wow, that hurt." She rolled over, pressing a hand on her tender bruised hip. Her buzz masked the pain. _Not good. I can't even tell how injured I am._

That was when she heard his confused voice. "Krystal?"

She looked up, head swimming.

Fox.

"Oh, hi there," she said, slurring a little bit. "You're awake."

He just stared at her, bewildered. "Are you just … Were you … out?"

She nodded. It made her dizzy. "Yep."

He was frozen in place, staring at her. "… Are you okay?"

She shook her head. "Nope."

"Oh, no." His eyes widened. "Are you drunk?"

She smiled up at him sheepishly.

"Wow," he sighed, his voice low.

"I know." She looked at the floor. "I feel ridiculous," she mumbled, her cheeks growing hot.

Fox stepped up to her, kneeling down beside her. "It's okay," he said gently. "It happens to all of us, right?" He reached out to help her up, then hesitated. "Do they even _have_ alcohol where you're from?"

She nodded, scooting closer to his outstretched arms. "Of course. Now help me," she said, reaching out her arms to meet his.

Still bewildered, he wrapped his arms around her and helped her to her feet. She wobbled as she got up, finding her balance.

"Oh, no," she mumbled, falling against him.

"Easy," he said softly, propping her up. "Just take it slow."

She tried to stand on her own again, leaning hard against his arm.

"I'm so embarrassed," she confessed, her voice quiet.

Fox looked at her with soft eyes. "It's okay. Don't worry about that."

She met his gaze. Her eyes flickered between his. "I can't help it," she said. She stared up at him, suddenly desperate. "I don't want you to think bad things about me," she murmured, moving closer.

Fox blinked. He tried to pull away before remembering he was holding her up. She stumbled closer to him, wrapping her arms around his waist for support.

"I'm not usually like this," she continued, her lips touching the fur of his neck.

He shivered. "I believe you," he said softly.

Her arms tightened around him, and he could feel her take a deep breath.

"You feel strong," she murmured.

"I… don't know what to say." He was frozen in place, unsure of what to do. Her arms felt warm around him; her body was soft against him. Her breath was hot, warming his neck.

His thoughts were frantic.

_Think about Slippy, think about Slippy …_

"You know, the minute I saw you, I thought you were so handsome," she was saying, her voice quiet. "And you saved my life." She laughed softly. "It's like a fairy tale," she whispered, looking up at him with sparkling emerald eyes. His heart pounded. He was very aware of how close they were.

_Slippy explaining something complicated. Slippy eating pie._

"What did you think of me?" she asked gently. Her eyes begged him for an answer.

He swallowed. "I think we need to get you upstairs," he stammered, trying to drag them to the elevator.

She frowned. "But what did you think of me?"

He blinked down at her. "What do you mean?"

"The minute you saw me," she continued, pressing closer to him. He tried to pull away. "What did you think of me the minute you saw me?"

Fox closed his eyes. It was a memory he wouldn't have been able to repress if he'd tried. He'd just scaled Krazoa Palace. The last thing he'd expected to see was the most beautiful girl he'd ever laid eyes on…

"_Wow," he sighed, staring up at the gorgeous vixen. "She's beautiful."_

He opened his eyes to see the girl in question, staring up at him.

"I…" His voice cracked. She was just so _pretty._

"I thought you were beautiful," he mumbled, unable to resist.

Krystal's eyes softened. "Really?"

"Yeah," he said, his throat dry. "Really. Now let's get you upstairs."

He helped her across the rest of the room, to the elevator. They stood for a while, quietly waiting for it to arrive. Then it dinged, and the doors swung open. The two of them stumbled in. He pressed her floor on the dash.

They rode the elevator up a few floors, neither saying a word.

"Wait," she said suddenly, breaking the silence.

He frowned down at her, confused.

She was frowning, too. "You thought I was beautiful?"

His face heated up and he looked up at the ceiling. "It's not important."

"But…" She leaned against the railing inside the elevator. "Isn't it?"

Inside, he was kicking himself.

_Never say anything to a drunk girl. Never._

"No," he mumbled. "It's not important. Don't worry about it, okay?"

He glanced down at her. She was looking at him with earnest eyes.

"Do you like me?" she asked, frowning again.

"What?"

"I know you like me," she said, slurring. "But you should tell me yourself."

His eyebrows knitted. "Um, we're almost at your floor," he said quickly, glancing at the glowing numbers on the elevator dash. "Once we get there, you need to drink a glass of water and get ready for bed. Okay?"

She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. "Will you help me?"

Fox gulped.

_Don't think about a drunk girl in bed, either._

"No, I think you're gonna have to do it on your own."

She looked lost. "I don't think I can," she mumbled.

A pang of worry crossed his heart. "Can you try?"

She looked at the floor, then back up at him.

"I can try," she said softly.

Relief washed through him. "Okay. Because I think that would be best."

Then she smiled at him. It was a stunning smile.

"You care about me," she whispered.

Fox's face heated up again. "I care about plenty of people." He looked at the floor.

Her hand touched his cheek and he winced away. She frowned.

"Why can't I touch you?"

He shook his head. "I think that's a bad idea, Krystal."

Her eyes were hurt. "Why?"

"Because," he sighed, scratching the back of his head. "You're drunk."

"That doesn't matter," she grumbled. "I like you."

His heart pounded.

_What?_

"That's just the alcohol talking," he murmured. The elevator dinged. "This is your floor. It's time to get off now."

"No, I really like you," she said softly, trying to get close to him. He held out a stiff arm.

"Time to get out of the elevator," he said, louder. "Come on. I'll walk you to your room." He placed firm hands on her shoulders, leading her out. She twisted, trying to look at him.

"Can I kiss you?" she asked bluntly.

His heart throbbed. "No," he said.

She frowned. "You don't want me to?"

"No, I don't," he lied. "Here's your room." He picked her hand up and pressed it against the panel to the right of the door. She stared at their hands as the blue light engulfed her palm, reading her print. Her door unlocked, sliding open.

"There ya go," he said quietly. "Time for bed."

She twisted around to look at him again, but he pushed her through the door.

"I'm going to ask the computer to monitor your heart rate and vitals. If anything happens, I'll be back. Now go drink that water and go to sleep."

He shut the door in her face.

_Boys, _she thought.

* * *

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Her head was throbbing.

_I promised myself I'd never have another one of these…_

She winced, sitting up in bed. The daylight she'd loved the day before was now her arch nemesis. She shut the blinds, groaning.

"No more cosmic coladas…" The very thought made her head spin.

_Though… I'm glad I met Divya. And Lux and Hazel._ She smiled at the memory.

It made her temples throb.

She was in no shape for a flight simulation. Forget it. And the thought of Falco and Fox seeing her like this …

_Fox!_

Her eyes snapped open.

"Oh my god," she groaned.

* * *

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x'3

**Questions, ideas, suggestions:** keep 'em comin'! c:

And make sure you check out my deviantart at the account frenzied-insanity!  
You can find paintings of everyone there!

**_Review please!_**  
I'll listen to your words!


	7. Specsy Fox

**Many, many, many thanks to my wonderful reviewers! **c:**  
**  
**Dixxy: ***blushes* You are so very sweet! :3 I'm glad you ended up liking the chapter!  
**Venerable Dreadnought:** Glad you enjoyed it! c:  
**bryan mccloud: **Oh yeah ... we've got some major awkward moments coming up! Hehehe. :D  
**LnCpl. Luke Tamaken:** *blushes again* You are the nicest person ever. It makes me so happy that you're enjoying my story. *hugs*  
**AR14: **YESSS. In a nutshell. Best summary ever. X3**  
**

I love all of you so much. You really make me feel like I'm doing something right. *hugs*  
You guys keep me so inspired! Thank you, thank you, thank you! *kiss*

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(Krystal finds that hangovers can be verrrrrry awkward.)

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* * *

**Krytal's Adventures**

* * *

**Tales of the Cobalt Vixen**  
A Collection of Cornerian Shorts

* * *

**Chapter Seven:** "Specs-y Fox"

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The standard-issue flight suit wasn't very comfortable, pinching her in the most awkward places. When she pulled it down in one place, it hiked up in another. Her hips seemed altogether too wide for it, her waist too small; it was all wrong. Unfortunately, a day's notice wasn't enough time to get one custom-fitted, so this had to do. Frowning, she rode the platform down to the simulation bay, growing more and more uncomfortable by the minute.

_Isn't it enough that I have to face Fox?_ She pressed her fingertips into her temples, trying to squeeze away both her hangover and the inevitable. _Of course he finds me on the night I'm acting completely unlike myself. And of course we have a flight simulation the very next morning._ She sighed.

The platform stopped, picking up another passenger.

Falco. _Of course._

"Hey, lady," he said, nodding toward her. His voice seemed a bit duller than usual. She looked at him hard, noticing the circles under his eyes.

"Are you alright?" she asked, forgetting her troubles for a moment.

He stared at her for a minute. "Better question: are _you?"_

She gave him a stern look.

"Alright, alright," he said, holding his hands up. "I had a bad night. Happens to the best of us, right?" He gave her a significant look. He didn't even need to say anything.

She groaned. "He told you, didn't he?"

Falco nodded. His eyes were sympathetic. "But you really don't need to worry about it," he said gently. "Besides, you've already got the upper hand."

She just looked at him, afraid to ask, and he raised his eyebrows.

"You know how much he digs you, don't you?" he asked, his voice quiet.

Her cheeks heated up, and she rolled her eyes, looking down at her feet. "Doesn't excuse me making a complete fool out of myself…"

"Hell yeah it does!" She looked up to see Falco staring at her, his face incredulous. "Not to mention the fact that you're a cute chick. That excuses _everything_."

The edges of her lips twitched up. "Don't you think that's a bit sexist?"

Falco nodded, enthusiastic. "Oh yeah. Definitely." He shook his head, looking at her with obvious jealousy. "You really lucked out."

She laughed. "But you're a good-looking guy. You can get away with things too, right?"

He looked down at his feet, uncharacteristically ashamed. "Doesn't mean I should," he murmured.

Krystal frowned, wondering if she should pry.

He nudged the toe of his boot along the floor, sighing. "I'm kind of a jerk," he said, his voice quiet. "In case you haven't noticed."

"Cocky, maybe," she conceded. "But a little confidence can be healthy, especially when you do what you do for a living."

He sighed again. "Guess so. Still. Feels like a lot of people think I suck."

Krystal stepped up to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I don't think that."

He lifted his head, meeting her eyes. He gave her a weak smile. "Well that's just sweet, Krystal. Thanks."

She smiled back. "Of course. I mean it."

"I know you do. That's because you're a good person." His eyes gleamed with mischief. "That or naïve. But both of those things can be fixed."

She rolled her eyes. "I think I take back what I just said."

He nodded. "Thatta girl."

The two of them rode down in silence for the next few minutes, travelling deep underground to where the sim-rooms were. Krystal plucked at her flight suit uncomfortably; Falco stared at the floor. It was a strange departure from their usual banter.

Finally, the platform came to a stop, jiggling slightly underfoot. Hydraulics hissed to pull it in place. Falco braced himself against the wall; Krystal fell forward, bracing herself on Falco. He smiled down at her ironically. She rolled her eyes.

Two wide metal doors slid open on the far side of the platform. Training Bay Delta greeted them, front and center. As they stepped out of the transport, Krystal tugged on the leg of her flight suit, feeling overheated.

_Where's Fox?_

She glanced around, nervous.

"Worried?" asked Falco, blunt as always.

She shot him a tense glance.

He smiled. "Don't get your tail in a knot," he murmured.

She frowned, which made him chuckle. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, giving a gentle squeeze. "Just remember: if you play it cool, nothing can go wrong," he said softly, straight into her ear.

She looked at him out of the corner of her eye. "Am I supposed to take your word for that?"

He grinned. "Works ninety percent of the time," he shrugged. "Can't guarantee the last ten, though."

The doors to Training Bay Delta whooshed open, blasting them with a rush of cool, electric-smelling air. They stepped across the threshold. Rows upon rows of clinical white simulation pods spanned out before them, blinking with control panels and activation lights. Some flashed red; others blue. Some were blank. A few trainees walked between them, finding their pods or exiting finished programs.

Slippy stood in the corner to their right, touching a large, official-looking display.

"Oh, hi Falco! Krystal!" he called, smiling. "Programming the simulation as we speak!"

His nimble fingers moved swiftly across the screen, entering in codes, selecting formats. Krystal was mesmerized by how fast he worked and how foreign the technology was to her. It resembled Cerinian devices in theory, but some of the symbols were entirely unfamiliar.

A flash of panic crossed her heart. "Slippy," she began, voice shaking, "I don't understand most of these controls."

He glanced at her, his fingers never stopping. "Hmmm," he mused, looking at her hard. He glanced back at the panel for a moment. "Can you remotely access your ship's computer?"

Krystal blinked. "Yes, I think I can… Why?"

Slippy turned back to face the display. "Good," he said, relieved. "Use this." He gestured to a window open on the panel screen. Krystal edged tentatively over.

"To access my computer?" she asked gently.

Slippy nodded. "Yes. Use the window here to download your flight specs. I can decrypt them and apply them to a sim for you."

Krystal stared at him. "Are you sure about that? Won't it be unable to transfer physical data, such as what certain symbols stand for?"

Slippy paused what he was doing, thinking for a moment. "Your computer should know enough to reassign mostly everything," he said, his eyes distant. "It has to know everything far better than you, anyway. If all else fails, we'll postpone the simulation. In the meantime, enter your data and let's see what we can get."

Krystal moved nervously to the panel, reaching out a trembling hand. "How do you know my computer will respond to this?" she wondered, feeling uncomfortable.

"Don't worry," Slippy assured her. "This network has priority access, for emergencies. It can reach any computer in the facility, for shutdown purposes. Works the other way, too," he finished, winking at her.

She gave a weak grin. Then she entered in the access override code for her computer. They waited for her system to ping it back with user information.

There.

The familiar Cerinian lettering flashed in files onscreen. "I'm in," she sighed, flooded with relief. She commanded the computer to access all encrypted flight data, user data, and any and all control data necessary for piloting the ship.

It asked for her identity, and she entered the password.

Files popped up, zipping into one big folder. Krystal labeled it: _**Krystal's Specs.**_

"Good," said Slippy. "We can start from there. In the meantime, go get Falco or someone to help you review the existing controls."

"Why does she need help with that?" asked someone behind them.

Krystal felt a shiver of dread at the sound of his voice. It crept down her spine, making her tense. She didn't look.

"Oh, Fox!" cried Slippy. "Just in time. Krystal's worried she won't understand our controls. Will you help her while I finish this?"

"Oh, yeah, sure," answered Fox, enthusiastic. "What're you most worried about?"

He was addressing her, but she still hadn't turned to face him. Her stomach flipped. She took a deep breath, twisting so that he entered her sight.

He looked well-rested and his flight suit fit him perfectly. A wave of last night's embarrassment washed over her, and she just stared at him, tongue-tied.

He frowned a little, worried. "Is everything okay?" He glanced down at himself, examining his front. "Did I spill something?"

She choked with an awkward laugh. "Oh, no," she said quickly. She tried to smile at him, to deflect her anxious feelings. "I'm just jealous of how well your flight suit fits."

He looked down again, bashful this time. "Aww, wow, this is old and I really need a new one. But thanks." He smiled at her.

_He's acting like nothing happened_, she thought, somehow annoyed.

"So, what's bothering you most?" he asked again.

"Did you get a good night's sleep?" she blurted, desperate to get a reaction.

He blinked. "Yeah, I did," he said gently. "How about you?" His voice was soft, and he looked at her hard. "Did you drink a big glass of water?"

She took a breath. _Okay, so he's not ignoring it…_

Her forehead crinkled. "I did," she answered honestly. "But I didn't sleep very well."

Fox's eyes softened. "That's too bad. Is that why you're worried about today?"

"No, no," she said quickly. "I just don't understand all of your controls. The symbols, I mean. In theory, it should function like my ship… But you know what they say about theory versus practice." She grinned up at him, hesitant.

He chuckled. "Alright. I'll give you a quick tutorial."

* * *

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It was cramped in the sim cockpit. They both barely fit inside.

"Space conservation," murmured Fox. "So more trainees can fit into one bay. Still," he ran his fingers over the dash, "It's pretty accurate."

Krystal edged over to the seat, sitting down gingerly to prevent flight-suit wedging.

"Are you sure about this?" she asked Fox. "It _is_ rather claustrophobic in here."

He laughed. "Of course. I want you to do the sim with us." He leaned over her, trying to get a better sense of her perspective. "Okay," he said, his tone suddenly business. "This is the stick, or the yoke." He pointed to the device front and center. "This controls tilt. Use it to steer. This," he said, gesturing to a panel, "will display data. Ask it to show whatever you need."

She nodded, absorbing info. Simple so far. It also fit into her studies of universal aviation back on Cerinia, but those were so long-past, they were barely wisps of memories now.

"This is important." He touched a spot on the dash. "Ignition."

Krystal squinted at it. It was hard to distinguish from the rest of the controls.

Fox laughed. "I know, right? Flaw in engineering the sim cockpits."

She reached out to touch it, but touched metal instead.

Fox shook his head. "No," he said, reaching out and grabbing her hand. "Here." He pressed her two first fingers gently against the button. She felt the unusual texture of it, the warm strong grasp of his hand.

She looked up at him, watched his face turn as he felt her eyes on him.

He stared at her for a moment, hand still grasping hers.

Then he tried to let go, but she caught his fingers with her own. She didn't break eye-contact.

She watched as he swallowed, silently gazing at her. Their eyes were locked.

His face seemed to draw closer…

"Krystal!" cried Slippy's voice, shocking over the intercom. Krystal and Fox jerked apart. "Your data was transferred successfully," Slippy continued. "I'm programming the computer to display Cerinian symbols over the appropriate equipment."

Fox coughed. "Well, there ya go," he said, his voice too loud. "Guess I better head on to my cockpit, too."

Krystal's heart sank.

_So close._

He rushed out, not looking back.

* * *

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SO EXCITED about writing the flight simulation. :D

**Questions, ideas, suggestions:** keep 'em comin'! c:

And make sure you check out my deviantart at the account frenzied-insanity!  
I've got some really nice paintings of Krystal and Fox up!

**_Review please!_**  
I'll listen to your words!


	8. Simulation Stimulation

**Many, many, many thanks to my wonderful reviewers! **c:**  
**  
I've been traveling all day... So tired...  
Luckily, I wrote a chapter and ended up in Disney World, so it's worth it! :3

I'll send you guys personalized responses to your reviews later...  
For now, I must sleep! *Florida-flavored faint*

As you know, I love all of you so much. *sleepy hugs and kisses*  
I hope you are all well and taking good care of yourselves! *mwah*

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(Krystal and the boys have a fantastic flight simulation.)

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* * *

**Krytal's Adventures**

* * *

**Tales of the Cobalt Vixen**  
A Collection of Cornerian Shorts

* * *

**Chapter Eight:** "Simulation Stimulation"

* * *

"Follow me to the left of this asteroid belt!" cried Slippy, his voice crackling over the intercom. His face flashed onscreen, but Krystal was too busy to notice. She tilted the stick, banking her Arwing to follow him. Giant chunks of space rock zoomed by her cockpit window.

_This simulation is incredible,_ she thought, swerving to avoid a meteor. Even though she knew it wasn't real, her heart pounded. She was convinced. Every nerve in her body was on alert as she followed Slippy around the looming rocks.

"I've got clear visuals past the belt," rang Falco's voice, tinny-sounding on the com, face tense. "Doesn't look like anyone's out in the open yet."

"What should we do?" asked Slippy.

Everyone was silent for a moment. Krystal steered nimbly, catching a glimpse of Falco's ship ahead. There was nothing but clear space beyond.

"I say we draw them out," she volunteered. "Make them face us." She passed Slippy, coming up alongside Falco's ship. The two of them hovered, thinking.

Onscreen, Falco's face nodded. "I've gotta say, Krystal… I like that idea."

"Of course _you_ do!" cried Slippy, distraught. "It's reckless!"

Krystal smiled. "Then let's do it," she said softly, decided.

Falco flashed her a huge grin. "That's my girl," he laughed. Then he pulled out into the clearing, flourishing to the right. His ship spun in three fabulous spirals, barrel-rolling across the open space. Krystal followed him at a short, safe distance, eyes on his tail.

"Keeping an eye out," she said, glancing at her radar. "No sign of them yet."

Slippy's face flashed. "I'm picking something up!" He looked at something on his dash, frowning. "One ship approaching me from the belt."

"You okay there, Slip?" asked Falco. Krystal watched his ship hesitate mid-air.

Slippy nodded. "I can handle one," he affirmed.

"Anything on your end, Falco?" asked Krystal, and his head popped up onscreen, shaking.

"No, not yet. Nothin' but static."

"Oh, no!" It was Slippy. He was in a panic.

Krystal glanced in her rear-view display, catching a glimpse of Slippy careening out of the belt, two ships on his tail.

"There were two! They were radar-shielding!"

Krystal frowned. "Hold on, Slippy!" she cried, turning around.

"Bastards," muttered Falco, twirling to face them. He sent off a volley of long-distance shots, which were surprisingly accurate. Unfortunately, the enemy ships dodged, continuing to pursue.

An unfamiliar, cocky male voice rang over the com, over Slippy's panicked shrieks. "Coach was right; Mr. Slippy _is_ the easiest target."

"Not funny!" Slippy yelled, dodging a bomb. Krystal was within range now, and she sent off a volley toward one of the pursuers, clipping a wing.

"Hey!" shouted the same new voice. "Shit, one of 'em got me!"

"I've got it," said another stranger. This voice was deep, but feminine.

The ship Krystal hadn't hit fired off a series of shots at her, which she easily dodged. She twisted through space, coming up beside Slippy's smoking Arwing.

"Hey, Krystal," he said quietly, ashamed.

She tried to give him a reassuring smile.

"You kids are dumbasses!" Falco was shouting. "We can hear everything you're saying!"

Someone scoffed. "I don't care," said the male.

Falco was livid. "It's ruining the simulation, you idiot! You're not taking it seriously!"

"How can I take it seriously when I'm flying against a reject like you?" sneered the male.

Falco's com switched off.

"Uh-oh," murmured Krystal, noticing his ship careen across her screen. She and Slippy rushed around to tail him. The enemy girl hesitated, unsure whether to go after Slippy or aid her teammate.

"Come back me up, Ursula!" cried the male, and the girl, Ursula, flew over to join him.

At that moment, Falco let off a barrage of weaponry. "Suck it!" he screamed, pissed. The beams pelted towards the enemy ships, rippling energy. Ursula twisted out of the way at the last minute. The other ship wasn't so lucky.

"Shit!" screamed the male as his ship was engulfed in the heavy assault. The metal of his wings warped and the hull seemed to shudder. Krystal closed her eyes. She knew what was about to happen.

The sound of the explosion made her shiver. _Just a simulation_, she reminded herself, choking back a wave of nausea. Then her cockpit vibrated. Her eyes snapped open, and she noticed that someone was on her tail, spraying her with shots. She twirled away, frowning. Cheap move.

"Nice one, Coach!" cried Ursula.

"Thanks," came the self-satisfied voice.

Fox.

Careful to keep moving, Krystal watched him flourish across the open space, twisting and twirling and covering more distance than she'd traveled the entire simulation. She frowned. _Showoff._

"Ahhh!" screamed Slippy, drawing Krystal's attention away from Fox. She glanced back at her rear-view, watching Ursula pick off her teammate.

She groaned.

"Sorry, Slippy!" she cried. But his ship was already gone.

Falco rushed up beside her, shocking her. "Come on," said his voice, sharp on the com. His face was hard. "Let's get back into the belt."

Krystal nodded, already steering in that direction. "Shall we split?"

Falco shook his head. "Stick with me. We stand a better chance against Fox if we're together."

Their two ships zoomed back into the meteor stream, darting back and forth between the obstacles.

"Get close by me," muttered Falco, and Krystal obeyed, putting even less distance between them. Following was something she could do. He banked; she banked. He rolled; she rolled. After all, she held the Cerinian fleet's highest honors in scouting and tracking.

"What's the plan?" she asked, tense.

Falco was quiet for a moment. "Knowing Fox, he's either gonna cut us off or try to follow. I'm going with cut-off." She watched his eyes dart back and forth as he dodged meteors, right before she did. "He'll get the girl to fly around the belt and cut us off. We've gotta make our course hard to predict." He took a sudden left, and Krystal veered sharply to follow.

"Then?" she asked.

"Then we get 'em. Right when we get out."

She could see the open space approaching. "Who should I handle?"

"You get the girl. I'll take Fox."

She nodded. Their ships twirled out of the asteroid belt. The open space was shocking for a moment. Then, Krystal saw her: the girl's ship, on a crash-course to meet her.

Krystal sent off a volley. The girl dodged, rolling back toward her. Krystal bit her lip, pushing the stick forward. The ship dipped down. She boosted underneath Ursula's ship, rolling to make a sharp about-face.

The girl had no time to react. The movement was sudden; the one hat-trick Krystal learned back home. Before Ursula could turn around, Krystal had taken out one of her wings. The Arwing crumpled, rippling. Then it vanished, simulation destroyed.

Krystal smiled with relief at her accomplishment. "I got her, Falco!" she cried.

No answer.

"Falco?" she frowned. She buzzed to his ship.

No response.

Her cockpit banked suddenly to the right. She shouted, catching the stick, twisting it back into balance. Fox's Arwing zoomed overhead, and she heard him laughing over the com. Her face twisted into a grimace.

"Not funny!" she yelled.

"Totally funny," he laughed.

She rolled her ship around, boosting through space. Trying to keep an eye on Fox, she turned back into the asteroid belt, dodging his attacks.

"Come on out and face me like a man!" he joked.

Her face heated up, her heart pounding, caught up in the fear of being chased. But she challenged him anyway. "Why don't you come face _me_ like a man?" She darted back through the meteors, glancing at her rear-view.

Sure enough, there he was, tailing her into the belt. "You asked for it," he warned, his tone menacing. She steeled herself. The meteors seemed bigger this time, harder to avoid. Maybe it was because she was more nervous. Still, she managed to make it through, flipping around the giant space rocks at the last minute.

Then, suddenly, the biggest asteroid she'd ever seen lurched into view.

Fox was right on her tail.

Logically, there was only one path, and she couldn't hesitate. Move to the left, avoid being squished between the giant asteroid and a cluster of tightly packed meteors.

Krystal wasn't feeling logical.

She moved to the right, squeezing her ship through the smallest crack possible.

Open space rushed out at her. She glanced at her rear-view to see if Fox was still there.

Then, suddenly...

Nothing.

The door to her cockpit rushed open. She stood up, blinking, as cool, electric-smelling air rushed against her face.

"Wow, Krystal!" It was Slippy's voice. "That was amazing!" He peeked his head inside her sim.

She looked over at him, confused.

"Is it over?" she murmured, picking her way back outside. Slippy held out a hand, which she took gratefully.

He helped her out into the training bay. "Yep! Fox got squished trying to follow you! Nice one."

She blinked. _So he followed me after all. I can't believe that actually worked._

A few paces down, Falco was fuming at a lizardy looking boy and a tall, muscular girl. He looked furious.

"I could have you kicked out of the academy for this," he hissed.

"We didn't do anything!" whined the boy, his long pebbly alligator-snout curved into a frown. "Coach McCloud never said anything about turning the com off!"

"That's because _Coach McCloud_ is a dumbass!" yelled Falco.

Krystal edged over, eyebrows raised. "Where is 'Coach McCloud?'"

The boy glanced at her, his eyes widening. His mouth gaped a little bit.

"Were we flying against _you_?" he asked, sounding incredulous. Falco rolled his eyes.

Krystal sighed. "Yes, you were," she said, sounding tired. "I'd watch that attitude if I were you."

He scoffed, showing rows of teeth. "Whatever."

"Hey, treat the victor with a little respect, idiot," Falco growled, punching the kid in the arm.

"The name's Greg," said the boy, frowning again.

"Whatever," grumbled Falco. "Come on, Krystal; let's find Fox."

"Wait." It was Ursula, the buff girl.

Falco and Krystal glanced over at her. She'd been silent the whole time.

She stepped up to them, holding out a hand. "Good game,' she said, fixing them with serious golden eyes.

Krystal glanced at Falco and he shrugged. He shook her hand. "Ditto," he agreed.

She turned to Krystal. "Good flying out there, new girl," said Ursula.

Krystal smiled up at her. "Thank you. You did well yourself. You're a student here?"

The girl nodded, her stubby bear ears bouncing. "Thanks," she grunted. Then she walked away. They watched her leave the training bay, tall and intimidating. Security guards shrank away from her.

Falco stared. "I'm kind of scared of her. Not gonna lie."

"She's a big softie inside," said Fox, stepping up between them. He held out a hand to Krystal. "Good game," he said gently.

Krystal took his palm in her own and shook it, grinning a sly grin. "I bet you think I got lucky."

Fox chuckled. "Maybe."

"You're an ass," grumbled Falco, punching him in the ribs. Fox jumped away, smiling.

"Only when I'm in the air," he argued, trying to punch Falco back.

Falco grabbed his fist, blocking. "You need to teach those kids to be respectful."

Fox pulled his hand away. "They're plenty respectful."

"To you, maybe. _Coach McCloud._" Falco rolled his eyes.

"They weren't very kind," Krystal agreed. "A little more discipline might be necessary."

"See," added Falco. "Even your lady thinks so."

Fox coughed, bravado suddenly gone. "She's not my—"

"Whatever, whatever," Falco sighed. "I need a drink. Loser's treat." He elbowed Fox.

"I took you out first, wise-ass," Fox grumbled. "You owe _me_ a drink."

"You both owe me," said Krystal, grinning.

"Perfect!" said Falco. "The moment Fox has been waiting for!"

Fox punched him in the ribs.

* * *

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Ahhhh.

So satisfying.

**Questions, ideas, suggestions:** keep 'em comin'! c:

And make sure you check out my deviantart at the account frenzied-insanity!  
I've got some really nice paintings of Krystal and Fox up!

**_Review please!_**  
I'll listen to your words!


	9. Unexpected Date

**Many, many, many thanks to my wonderful reviewers! **c:

Too much traveling ...  
And Korra ...  
And babysitting ...  
And fanart ...

I FINALLY found the time to write this chapter.  
I've been wanting to write it for DAYS. Ugh.

Anyway, hope you enjoy!

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(Some drinks, some silliness, and the promise of an exciting night.)

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* * *

**Krytal's Adventures**

* * *

**Tales of the Cobalt Vixen**  
A Collection of Cornerian Shorts

* * *

**Chapter Nine:** "Unexpected Date"

* * *

"To our new teammate," said Falco, raising his full glass. Fox nodded, raising his, too. Krystal gave a bashful smile, clinking her drink against the others.

"Thank you, boys," she said softly, glancing at both of them. They smiled.

Then the three of them brought their drinks to their lips, taking long sips.

"Ahhh," said Falco, smacking. "Nothing better than a dry martini after a flight sim."

Fox nodded, eating the olives out of his glass.

Krystal grinned, but she felt a little awkward. She pressed her fingers together around her glass. "Somehow I have the feeling that I'm intruding on a tradition," she murmured. "I don't want to interfere with your man-time..."

"Oh, don't worry about that," said Falco, waving a hand dismissively. "You make the 'tradition' ten times better just by sitting here. Besides, we're a couple of chumps. We can hardly ever get the ladies to join us, let alone a classy one like you." He raised his drink again, towards Krystal, smiling. She smiled back, feeling her cheeks grow warm.

Fox scoffed, twirling his last olive around his glass. "You've got no room to talk, Mr. Playboy." He leaned in to Krystal, who looked startled and curious. Fox started whispering loudly. "Falco's always bringing girls around," he said to her ear, his breath tickling it. "Girls no one's met before. Or after," he finished, giving his friend a wicked grin.

Falco's eyes flashed. "Too far, man," he grumbled, looking down at his drink. "And hey, I could say some stuff about Fox that would curl your tail."

Fox frowned. "I'm sure we all have secrets we'd rather keep," he mumbled.

Everyone was quiet.

Uncomfortable, Krystal shifted in her seat. She took a deep swig of margarita, draining most of the glass. She coughed. "Alright," she said, a little too loudly. She tried to regulate her volume, clearing her throat. "So." She glanced between Fox and Falco, who continued to avoid looking at each other. "What's the plan for this evening? Or tomorrow? Anything on the schedule?"

Falco shook his head, twirling his glass around. "I dunno. Don't think we're needed for anything, aside from keeping up with general training." His eyes brightened with a thought, and he glanced at Krystal. "Speaking of, do you have a trainer yet?"

She nodded. "Someone named ... Sedge, I think?"

Fox's ears perked, and he stared at her. "Sedge? Did you say Sedge?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I have my first session with him tomorrow, I believe."

Fox frowned. "You should request a transfer."

She looked at him, curious. "Why? What's wrong with him?"

Fox sighed. "He's ... just ... not good."

Krystal noticed Falco rolling his eyes as he drained the rest of his martini.

"What do you think, Falco?" she asked, turning her eyes on him. He choked on his drink, but she continued. "Is Sedge bad? Shall I transfer?"

Falco coughed back a laugh. "Dunno," he said, his voice hoarse. Fox glared at him, and he coughed again. "I mean, yeah, he sucks. Stay away," he said in one monotone breath. He quickly glanced up and down the counter, avoiding Krystal's eyes. "Hello, bartender?"

She looked back at Fox, the corners of her lips turned down. Life was so much harder without telepathy. "So what's wrong with Sedge?" she asked. "Why are you both acting so strange?"

Fox looked away, scratching the back of his head. He shrugged. "I dunno. I just ... I don't like him. I get a bad feeling from him. That's all." He shrugged again, still avoiding Krystal's gaze. She gave a sigh.

"Well, I think I'll try out one session with him first, just to see how it is."

Falco was grinning. "Yeah! You should do that!" Fox elbowed him, and he coughed. "I mean ... It's your choice ..." Fox elbowed him again, and he squawked. "What? It _is_ her choice!"

Now Krystal was frowning, too frustrated to be patient. "Okay. One of you tell me right now: What is up with this Sedge person? Out with it."

Fox sighed, getting up from his seat. "I'll be right back," he said gruffly. Then he began to stalk over toward the bathrooms.

Falco watched him cross the room. He turned back to Krystal when the door swung shut behind Fox's tail.

"Okay," he said confidentially, leaning close. "Here's the thing."

Krystal leaned in too, feeling secretive. She fixed Falco with wide eyes.

"Sedge is beautiful," he said.

Krystal blinked.

"A beautiful man, I mean," Falco continued. "And he and Fox ... well, they have a bit of bad blood between 'em. Involving a girl. So ... you see ..."

"... He's jealous," Krystal said, finishing for him.

Falco nodded.

She sighed. "That's ridiculous."

Falco shrugged. "It's the truth."

"So he doesn't want me to go train with Sedge because he thinks ... he thinks I'll _like_ Sedge." She rolled her eyes.

"Pretty much," said Falco. "And hey, it's happened before."

She sighed again. "Boys."

"Hey, don't judge."

She stared at him.

"... Okay, you can judge _me_," he said, scoffing. "But not Fox. Not about this, anyway."

She bit her lip. "Um... Could you tell me..." She looked away, at the counter, then back up to Falco's eyes. "What happened exactly? I don't mean to pry, but I'm curious... If you want to tell me, that is."

Falco nodded, opening his mouth. Then his eyes darted up, focused past her face. He gave a slight twitch of his head. "Maybe another time," he said quietly, looking at her and raising his eyebrows. "After another sim or something."

"What's going on?" came Fox's voice, behind Krystal. He took his seat between the two of them, glancing in their eyes. "What are you gonna do?"

Krystal looked at him, wetting her lips to speak, but she didn't know what to say. She wasn't very good at "covering." Never had been.

"We're talking about getting drinks after our next session together," said Falco smoothly, picking up the slack. "That is, if you want to join us."

Fox frowned gently. "Of course I want to join you. What kind of question is that?"

Falco shrugged. "I dunno. Sometimes you've got big-shot plans and stuff."

Fox's eyes flashed with the spark of a thought. "Oh, that reminds me. I've got this gift certificate to Café Jesperia that expires tomorrow night." He glanced between the two of them. "Did you guys want to come with me? I won't be able to spend that much money on my own."

"Oh, crap," moaned Falco. "I love that place."

"So come," said Fox, looking at him.

Falco stared down at his now-empty glass. "I ... can't."

Fox frowned. "Why?"

"Uh... I'm kind of... busy..."

"Busy?" asked Fox, skeptical. "We have nothing to do..."

Falco glanced around, looking down the counter, then over at the bathroom. He ran a hand through the feathery crest on the top of his head. "Uh... Hey, I think I gotta go." He fumbled in his pocket for his wallet, pulling out a bill and slapping it on the bar.

Fox stared at him. "Hey Falco, I was gonna-"

But Falco was standing up noisily from his bar stool, putting on his jacket. "Later," he mumbled. And then he walked quickly out of the lounge, back toward the lobby.

Fox and Krystal stared after him, completely confused.

"... What the heck just happened?" asked Fox, looking at Krystal with wide eyes.

She shook her head. "I don't know." And she didn't. She hadn't even tried to pry.

Fox blinked. He looked back at the door to the lobby. Then he glanced back to the bar, where Falco had left his money. He sighed. "I was gonna pay for his drink."

"Then replace his money and give it back," Krystal suggested.

Fox shook his head. "Nah, he's got pride issues. He's already done it now... He'd think I was undermining his manliness or something."

Krystal giggled softly. "No matter where you go in the universe, men are always the same."

Fox grinned. "Hey, at least we never change!"

"That's the problem." She fixed him with a sly glance.

"Woah, woah," he said quickly. "Take that back."

She shrugged, raising her eyebrows playfully and looking up at him through her lashes. "Make me have more faith in your gender. Then maybe I will."

Fox stared at her. He took a deep breath.

He was quiet for a long moment. Krystal stared at him.

"Come with me to Café Jesperia?" he asked in a rush. She blinked. "Just you and me," he continued. "If that's okay, I mean. Is that okay? Are you okay with that?"

Krystal reached over and touched his forearm, looking up into his eyes. "Of course I am. I was going to go with you anyway, before Falco left."

He was still staring down at her, his mouth slightly open. "But... But now it's just the two of us," he stammered.

She smiled at him, very slowly and sweetly. "Yes, it is."

He gaped at her, dumbfounded.

"It'll be nice to have some time with you one-on-one," she said gently. "I feel like we haven't had much of a chance for that."

Fox closed his mouth. "Uh, yeah," he mumbled. "It will be."

She was still smiling. "What time should we leave?"

He blinked. "For what?"

She chuckled. "Café Jesperia."

"Right," he said softly. "Uh, probably seven?" He glanced at the clock behind the bar, which ticked a little past five. "Is that okay?"

She nodded. "Perfect. I can go take this flight suit off." She picked at the fabric uncomfortably. "Maybe I'll have time to get a custom-fitted one before we do another simulation."

Fox glanced down at her body, then quickly looked away. "Yeah, that'd be great," he murmured, staring down at the martini glass in his lap. The last olive still rested inside it, speared through by a vibrant toothpick.

"May I have that?" Krystal asked, her voice soft.

He looked back at her, confused. "What?"

She stared down at his lap, then back up into his eyes.

His cheeks heated up, and he stared at her, tongue tied and silent.

"Your olive?" she added. "May I have your olive?"

He glanced down at his lap. "Oh," he sighed. "Sure. Take it."

She reached over and plucked the olive out with delicate fingers. Fox tried not to think about the transitive properties of her hand, the martini glass, and his lap.

Instead, he watched her pop the tiny bitter fruit into her mouth.

His cheeks heated up again.

_This is gonna be a long night,_ he thought.

* * *

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Mmmmmm Krystal and Fox on a date.  
I can almost taste the awkwardness. X3

**Questions, ideas, suggestions:** keep 'em comin'! c:

And make sure you check out my deviantart at the account frenzied-insanity!  
I've got some really nice paintings of Krystal and Fox up!

**_Review please!_**  
I'll listen to your words!


	10. Their First Dinner

**Many, many, many thanks to ALL of my wonderful reviewers!  
**(Especially The Krystal Method, for diligently going back and reviewing everything! C:)**  
**

I've been so busy traveling and rehearsing...  
I've barely had time to write!

AND THIS CHAPTER. I've been looking forward to it so much!  
Finally, after finding little piece of time here and there, I finished.

Without further ado: An update! :3

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(Fox and Krystal ... and their first date.)

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* * *

**Krytal's Adventures**

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**Tales of the Cobalt Vixen**  
A Collection of Cornerian Shorts

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**Chapter Ten:** "Their First Dinner"

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Her heart was pounding as she dug through her clothing, frustrated.

None of this was going to work.

She ran trembling fingers through her hair, glancing at the digital display of the clock on her door-side computer_. Five-forty_. An hour to figure this mess out.

_Why am I so nervous? _She bit her lip, sitting down on the edge of her bed. _It's just Fox. _She smiled a tiny smile, her heart thumping. _Haven't I been waiting for this, the chance to get him all to myself?_

She turned back to the knapsack at the foot of her bed, pulling out a creamy orange wrap.

_It doesn't matter what I wear..._

Getting to her feet, she draped the fabric around her body, tying it together. Now it was a flirty dress, with a bow between her breasts and a plunging halter neckline. She twirled in front of the mirror, grinning when the skirt flew up a bit too high.

_Better make sure I keep an eye on that,_ she thought, chuckling. Then she retrieved a bristle brush from her bag, combing her hair until it was buffed and glossy. She used her fingers to fluff it out around her face, brushing a lock behind her ear.

Her tail flicked behind her, and she frowned, noticing tangles and a general unpresentable appearance. _Well, that just won't do._

She sat down, pulling her tail into her lap, and began brushing it, too. After half an hour of working, it shone like silk. She stood, shaking it out, turning it into a feathery cloud of blue and white.

_Much better._

She glanced at the clock. _Six-thirty._

"Well," she said aloud, brushing down the skirt of her dress, glancing in the mirror one last time. Presentable enough. But next time, investing in a local outfit couldn't hurt.

_Next time._ She scoffed. _Look at me, making assumptions._

For all she knew, Fox might make a better teammate than ... well, actual mate. Her cheeks warmed and she shook her head. "Let's not get too far ahead, now," she murmured. First tonight. Then... Well, she was ready to wait and see. Take things slow. This was her new life after all; no sense in rushing. If the past few months had taught her anything, it was "savor the moment."

She laced up her sandals and left for the elevator. Thankfully, Falco was nowhere to be seen. The floors dinged past, and soon,, the doors were parting, presenting Krystal with the nearly empty lobby. The world clock over the front desk told her that the local time was six forty-five, so she walked across the pristine, airy room, toward the circle of couches beside the entrance. She smoothed down her skirt and took a seat, glancing back at the elevator.

Her heart throbbed. How long had it been since she'd had a one-on-one encounter like this? A date? She began to think back, but quickly stopped herself. Memories of Cerinia would do more harm than good at this point.

She shivered. "And besides, none of that matters now," she reminded herself, her voice quiet. "I can't change the past. The only thing I can do now is look forward to the future." She folded her hands in her lap, looking down at her pointed white claws, the fine blue down that covered her fingers. She frowned, giving a long, heavy sigh.

"That excited, huh?" came an amused voice.

She looked up, startled, meeting Fox's eyes.

Then she smiled, laughing a little. "You caught me mid-thought," she murmured.

Fox grinned. "Not about me, I hope?"

She shook her head. "Definitely not." She stood, walking over to him deliberately. "Just things I shouldn't be thinking about." She fixed him with her gaze, giving a small smile. "Shall we?"

Fox nodded curtly, standing straight and tall. He looked so official.

Krystal took in the sight of him: crisp suit pants, white tie, pinstripe jacket. He looked groomed. Professional.

She flushed, glancing down at herself. "I feel underdressed now," she murmured, glancing up at him bashfully.

Fox's eyebrows lifted, and he frowned a little. "But... you look..." His voice caught in his throat as his eyes wandered over her, and she noticed him hesitate. "... Wonderful," he finished, barely audible. He glanced away, embarrassed, before looking back into her eyes. His nervousness was palpable as his eyes flickered back and forth between hers.

She stepped up to him and slipped her arm around his elbow. "Thank you," she whispered into his ear. He trembled, muscles tightening against her, and she fixed him with a gentle gaze. He blinked. "Yeah. No problem." He gave her a tiny smile, and she grinned back. Then she took a step toward the door, raising her eyebrow at him, as if to say: "Can we go now?"

He smiled, showing teeth, and stepped forward.

The two of them walked in relative silence through the streets of Corneria City, each of them enjoying the other's company. The sunset in the metropolis was spectacular, washing the streets with a glow of orange sunlight.

The tips of their fur became frosted in the golden light; Krystal glanced up at Fox, admiring the way his eyes gleamed yellow-green in the burst of light. She moved closer to him, tightening her grip on his arm. "This sunset is amazing," she said softly, still looking up at him. He glanced at her for a moment.

"Yeah," he agreed, turning his eyes to the sky. "It really is."

Café Jesperia came into view, and Krystal felt a spurt of excitement. Perhaps her newfound friends would be working tonight.

Fox noticed her step grow light, the sparkle in her eyes. "Finally excited?" he teased, and she elbowed him gently. "Woah," he said, mock-warning. "Don't start doing that, now. I might confuse you with Falco."

Krystal fixed him with a skeptical glance, and he laughed.

"You take that back," she said with a smirk.

"Okay, okay," he conceded. "You win." He stepped up to the door of the café, which was now right in front of them. "After you, my lady," he said, opening the door for her. Very debonair.

She grinned, stepping up to meet him. "Why thank you, my good sir," she said, walking through the open door.

Once again, the beautiful atmosphere struck her. Funky smooth-jazz crooned through the cool, dark air, and Krystal shivered. _Sexy._

She glanced back at Fox, who was stepping through the open doorway. He straightened his tie against his throat; brushed down his pinstripe jacket.

_Sexier. _Her face heated up.

"Welcome to Café Jesperia," said a raspy female voice. Krystal glanced up to see a girl with long tawny rabbit ears playing hostess. Her blue eyes twinkled. "Shall I show you to a seat?"

"For two, please," added Krystal, nodding, slightly disappointed. No Hazel tonight.

The bunny smiled, starting to lead them across the restaurant. Fox stepped up quickly to Krystal's side, and the two of them kept in pace behind the hostess.

"I forgot how classy this place was," whispered Fox, his breath warm against her ear. She grinned, glancing up at him.

"It's beautiful."

He looked down at her for a moment. A tiny smile touched his lips.

"Here we are," said the hostess, gesturing to a cozy booth in the corner of the restaurant.

Krystal smiled up at her. "Thank you so much," she said softly, and the bunny smiled.

"Enjoy," the hostess sighed. Then she walked away.

Fox stood at the edge of the table, looking awkward. Krystal glanced at him, fighting back a smile. "You want to take a seat?" she asked gently.

He scratched his ear. "Um, which side would you prefer?"

Krystal shrugged, smiling sweetly. "I don't mind."

Fox smiled back before slowly scooting into one of the seats. Krystal took the opposite side. A little array of candles flickered softly on the side of the table closest to the wall; napkins shaped into fans waited on the polished wood, ready to be unfolded and placed into their laps. Krystal picked hers up delicately, smiling over at Fox. He was focused on unfolding his napkin. When he'd smoothed it down into his lap, he glanced up at her, and noticed her eyes on his face. He smiled nervously, his eyes darting over her face.

"Welcome to Café Jesperia," crooned a familiar sexy voice.

Krystal looked up happily. "Hazel!"

The spaniel's shiny auburn curls bounced as she nodded, smiling widely. "Nice to see you again, beautiful!" she said sweetly. Then she glanced over at Fox, winking. "And you too, handsome. Can I take your drinks?"

Fox glanced between the girls bashfully. "Um... I think I'll have whatever's on draft tonight. Something amber."

Hazel nodded, turning her pretty brown eyes to Krystal. "And you?"

"Hmm," mused Krystal. "I think I'm going to take it easy tonight..."

Hazel giggled. "Worried about a repeat?" she teased.

Krystal sighed. "You have _no_ idea how worried," she murmured, glancing over at Fox. His eyes darted away, examining one of the candles.

Hazel's mouth opened slightly as she connected the dots. The wrong dots. Krystal gave a small gasp, shaking her head quickly before Fox looked back over at her.

"Well," coughed Hazel, unconvinced. "We'll just get you a water, then! And your beer will be out shortly." She smiled at both of them. Then she waggled her eyebrows at Krystal and left. Krystal's cheeks burned. She fiddled with the corner of her napkin.

"Great," she mumbled.

"What?" asked Fox, clueless.

Krystal shook her head. "Hazel just ... made an assumption."

Fox blinked. "About what?"

Krystal bit her lip. "... Us?"

Fox was quiet for a moment. "... What kind of assumption?"

Krystal looked anywhere but Fox's eyes. "That... something happened. The night I got drunk."

They were both quiet.

"Oh," said Fox. "Uh... Well... Just tell her what happened?" He coughed. "Uh, didn't happen," he corrected, tripping over his words. "I mean, if you're worried about it."

Krystal didn't know what to say, so she tripped over her words, too. "It's not that I'm worried about it ... Just ... It's not the truth of the matter. You know?"

Fox processed for a moment. "Yeah."

They were quiet again.

Then Hazel was back with their drinks. "Here ya go," she said playfully, placing the frosty glasses in front of them. Fox immediately grabbed his beer, taking a deep swig.

Hazel looked at him with wide eyes, giggling a bit. "Ready to order?"

Krystal opened her mouth to mention that they hadn't even looked at the menu, but Fox was already talking.

"Do you still have the chef's special prime rib available?" he asked, very polite.

Hazel nodded. "We sure do. You wanna place an order?"

"Please," Fox said. He glanced over at Krystal, his eyes earnest. "It's the most delicious thing I've ever tasted," he confided.

Krystal smiled. "I trust you," she said gently.

Hazel looked between them, grinning widely. "Alright. I'll just go put that in for you to share," she said sweetly. Then she scurried away.

Fox was looking bashful again. "I'm sorry if you had something in mind to order ... But I promise, you'll love this."

Krystal chuckled. "Fox. You don't need to worry about me." Her pretty emerald eyes sparkled at him. "I enjoy adventures, remember?"

His gaze softened as he met her eyes. "Yeah," he murmured. "I think I remember something like that."

In that moment, she was overwhelmed by how handsome he looked. Framed by candlelight, his face looked perfect. His green eyes sparkled over at her; the smile on his lips was gentle and sincere. This was her rescuer. This was the hero McCloud.

Without realizing it, she leaned in slowly, gazing deep into his eyes.

Holding his breath, Fox leaned in too, lost in her gaze.

She could smell his cologne, feel his warmth as she got closer and closer...

"Is there anything I can- Oh! I'm so sorry!"

The two of them jerked back in their seats, looking wide-eyed at Hazel. She held a pitcher of ice water in one hand and a plate in the other.

Fox blinked, flustered. "Um, no, we're fine I think," he mumbled.

Krystal was speechless. _What just happened?_

Hazel put the plate down on the table. It was covered in tasty-looking morsels of bread, each spread with something different. "Complimentary crostini on the house," said Hazel quickly, stepping back. "I'll leave you two now," she said, darting away.

Krystal looked at the plate of crostini, not daring to look up at Fox. The little oval of toasted bread nearest her was spread with something that looked creamy, possibly cheese. She reached out and picked it up with delicate fingers.

"These look good," said Fox, breaking the silence.

Krystal nodded, nibbling a corner of the one she'd picked. Delicious.

"Mmm," she mumbled, swallowing her little bite. "They are! Try one."

Fox reached for one that was spread with a brown mousse. He bit into it, and Krystal watched his face melt with ecstasy. He swallowed. "Oh yeah," he sighed. "That's amazing. You have to try this one."

He held the little half-piece of bread over to her, and she took it. "Here, let's trade," she suggested, eyes sparkling, handing him her remaining piece.

"Cheers," said Fox, toasting her with the crostini. Krystal giggled, doing the same. Then they brought the bread to their lips.

"Mmmmm," they moaned in unison. They looked at each other wide-eyed. Then they both laughed. Krystal choked a little on her bite, taking a sip of water to wash it down.

"You okay?" asked Fox, his eyes bright with concern.

She nodded. "I'm fine," she said, her voice a bit raspy from choking. "Just having a bit too much fun." She smiled up at him.

Fox blushed. "Me too," he said softly.

"Uh-oh," came Hazel's voice. They both looked up to see her standing beside the table, holding a large platter. "Kitchen's moving too fast tonight. Looks like you've got a bit of crostini to go!"

Fox laughed. "We can eat it with the prime rib. Don't worry!"

Hazel put the platter down between them. The savory aroma drifted into Krystal's nose, filling her senses. The meat was browned beautifully, glistening with seasoning and _au jus_. A pile of fluffy whipped potatoes nestled next to it in the gravy, on top of a buttery bunch of green beans.

"We marinate and slow-roast our prime rib for superior flavor and texture. Our potatoes are whipped in a very light, fragrant garlic butter, which we also use to sauté our award-winning green beans. Snapped fresh daily!" She smiled. "We grow all of our produce locally, in Cornerian farmland."

Fox smiled. "Now I'm even hungrier," he joked.

Hazel grinned. "Enjoy, you two," she said coyly, glancing back at them before she left.

Krystal looked up at Fox. "So... Who gets the first bite?" she asked softly.

Fox grinned. He lifted his fork and pierced he savory cut of meat, slicing off a juicy morsel. Krystal's mouth watered as he twirled it in the sauce. Then he lifted it off the plate.

To her.

She stared at the fork, inches from her lips.

"Me?" she asked in surprise.

Fox nodded.

She smiled. Then she opened her mouth and wrapped her lips around the morsel of meat, biting it gently off of the fork. Fox smirked as she gave an involuntary moan, overwhelmed by the delicious flavor.

"Oh my god," she murmured, not even caring that there was food in her mouth.

Fox raised his eyebrows. "What did I tell you?"

Many ecstatic moments later, the plate was nearly licked-clean. Hazel looked very amused as she came to retrieve their empty dishes. "Looks like someone enjoyed their meal," she said flirtatiously, glancing between them.

Fox gave a hearty sigh. "You bet we did," he declared.

Krystal smiled playfully. "You know, I'm not sure I liked it that much," she murmured. Her eyes twinkled. "I think we need another one, so I can decide."

Hazel giggled. "I've got something much better in mind," she whispered, taking away the dishes with a sassy swish of her hips.

Fox stared at Krystal, concerned. "What's she got up her sleeve?"

"I don't know," shrugged Krystal, genuinely curious. "We'll have to wait and see."

That was when Lux bounded up to their table, plopping down in the booth next to Krystal. He threw his massively muscular arms around her, squeezing her tight to his chest. Her cheek pressed against his dark, furry neck. "Hey there sweetheart!" he boomed, kissing her forehead. "Came over here as soon as I got a moment." He let her go, giving her a little grin. Then he glanced over at Fox, smiling good-naturedly. "You take care of this one," he said, very serious. "She's a keeper." Then he hopped back up, oddly graceful as ever for such a massive wolf. "Gotta get back to the drunken masses!" he announced. Then he winked at both of them, dashing off across the restaurant.

Fox was flustered. "Does _everyone_ wink here?"

Krystal giggled, equally flushed. "I think they only hire huge flirts," she said, quite sincere.

"So he's ... the bartender?" Fox pieced together, watching Lux return to his destination.

Krystal nodded. "Yep."

Hazel was back, holding something behind her. "Close your eyes," she demanded.

Fox and Krystal stared up at her. "What?" they asked in unison.

"I said, close your eyes!" she barked.

They both obeyed.

The sound of a plate hitting the table.

Then the sweet aroma of chocolate and cream.

"Okay, open your eyes," said Hazel.

They did.

A heart-shaped plate sat between them, filled with a warm, gooey fudge-cake and scoops of vanilla ice cream. It was all drizzled with caramel sauce.

Krystal gasped. "Hazel! You didn't have to-"

"Oh, but I did!" tutted Hazel, cutting her off. "Enjoy!"

She left, and Fox stared at Krystal. "I should have saved the gift certificate for later," he murmured.

Krystal laughed. "But it expires tomorrow!"

He smiled, picking up a fork. "Shall we?"

She nodded, and the two of them dug into another little slice of heaven. The cake was warm, filled with fudge, and the ice cream was gourmet vanilla bean. Krystal couldn't decide which flavor she liked more: the chocolate, the chocolate mixed with a bit of vanilla, or the vanilla on its own. Fox dipped his finger in the caramel sauce, tasting it, too.

"Oh, that's amazing," he sighed. "I usually don't even like caramel, but this is different." He swiped his finger through it again, gesturing to Krystal. "You should try it."

Without even thinking, Krystal leaned over and licked the caramel off of Fox's finger. He stared at her. She stared at him.

"It's delicious," she said softly.

Fox swallowed. "Y-yeah." He picked his fork up, gathering a big bite of cake. Krystal blushed, dipping her own finger in the caramel, sucking it off, and Fox choked. They stared at each other for a moment.

Then Krystal started to laugh. And so did Fox.

The two of them cracked up.

"We're hopeless," Krystal giggled.

Fox nodded. "It's depressing," he said, but he was smiling so wide his cheeks hurt.

Krystal caught her breath, sighing. "This has been a lovely evening, Fox."

His eyes flickered between hers, gentle and loving.

"Agreed," he murmured.

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Oh the delicious, delicious Fox/Krystal...  
... And all I want to do now is write the next chapter. X3

**Questions, ideas, suggestions:** keep 'em comin'! c:

And make sure you check out my deviantart at the account frenzied-insanity!  
I've got some really nice paintings of Krystal and Fox up!  
(I'm working on more as we speak!)

**_Review please!_**  
I'll listen to your words!


	11. So Close, So Far

**Many, many, many thanks to ALL of my wonderful reviewers!  
You guys are seriously the most awesome people on the internet.**

I honestly couldn't ask for better reviewers.  
Everything you guys say just makes me want to write more and more and more.  
So many kind words... such encouragement... I'm overflowing with ideas!

You guys. Are. FANTASTIC.

So here you have it: A quick update, just for you.  
I feel like I'm about to get into the good stuff here... c:

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(The aftermath... and an unexpected problem.)

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* * *

**Krytal's Adventures**

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**Tales of the Cobalt Vixen**  
A Collection of Cornerian Shorts

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**Chapter Eleven:** "So Close, So Far"

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Fox's arm was warm around Krystal's waist as they walked back to headquarters. In fact, Krystal was warm all over. The delicious meal, the happy banter; everything left her with a cozy, fuzzy feeling that spread from the tips of her ears down to her toes. She smiled, nudging closer to Fox, and he tightened his grip around her. His scent wafted over her. She took a deep breath. He smelled so clean, so fresh. So alluring.

Little did she know that Fox was thinking the very same thing. He lifted his nose over the top of her head, giving a gentle sniff. She smelled lovely. It wasn't the smell of any perfume, or other fragrance; it was her own natural scent. His cheeks warmed as she nudged even closer, reminding him of the curve of her waist under his arm.

"Dinner was wonderful," she murmured, and he felt the velvet softness of her ear press against his neck. He leaned his head over hers.

"Thanks for going with me," he said, and allowed himself to squeeze her against him in a slight embrace.

She smiled, giving a soft giggle. "My pleasure." Then she slipped her arm around his waist, too, hugging him back. He blushed, feeling her tail flick against his. "We should do it again sometime," she murmured, resting her head against his shoulder.

Fox smiled, nudging his nose gently against the top of her head. "That'd be great," he said softly.

Krystal's heart fluttered. This was it. This felt so _right._ All she had to do was stop walking, and turn her head over to face him… All she had to do was close what little distance remained…

"Here we are," said Fox, and Krystal's eyes focused on the wide glass doors of headquarters. The couple slowed as they approached, and Fox reached out his hand to the panel next to the door.

As the computer voice verified his identity, Krystal held her breath.

_Just do it. Pull him closer. Turn your face. _

Her heart pounded.

The door slid open, and Fox led the two of them inside. It was dark. No one else seemed to be up and about. The doors behind them slid shut with a soft click, and they started toward the elevator.

_You're running out of time,_ Krystal warned herself. _You're losing your chance._

Her hand was curved around his side, fingers pressed against the edge of his hip. Even through the layers of his blazer and shirt, she could feel the firmness of his athletic physique. Unconsciously, she squeezed him closer to her, nuzzling her face against his neck.

His heart skipped a beat as he felt the beautiful vixen press closer. _What do I do?_ He tightened his hold on her, pressed his cheek over her head, but kept moving toward the elevator. He was so nervous. Too nervous. He wanted to turn to face her. He wanted to nuzzle into her neck, kiss her, squeeze her tight to his body and feel every inch of her against him. He'd wanted that since the first moment he saw her. He trembled with the desire of it, with the knowledge that he could do it, all too easily. _I could do it now._

But would she want him to do it?

Krystal's nose twitched as the air around them changed. She could smell a slight musk intermingling with Fox's scent. Anxiety, desire. She was sure she smelled similar. The elevator was in front of them now; Fox's finger pressed against the glowing button. She could hear it hiss softly toward them, moving fast down the floors.

_A little private room for us to share._

But what would happen? Would Fox take her in his arms, press her against the wall? Kiss her where she wanted to be kissed? Would he turn to her and whisper words of love, of longing? Or would they simply stand there, locked in this anticlimactic embrace, endless anticipation building between them?

She shivered.

The elevator dinged its arrival, the doors sliding open with metallic smoothness. They stepped in together, still interlocked… and then he released her, to twist around and press the button for his floor.

Krystal did the same.

They stood in silence while the doors slid shut, close but no longer touching, awkwardly aware of the tension between them. Krystal's emerald eyes darted up to glance at her companion; he looked at the floor. She reached out a soft-furred blue hand to entwine with his tawny fingers. He didn't resist.

_Say something,_ she begged him, her mind frantic with images of what could be.

He glanced over at her, and she felt his hand twitch against hers.

_We've still got a few floors to go,_ he thought, looking down into her heartbreakingly beautiful face. _I could make a move. I could do it. I could be brave._ Her eyes were pleading up at him, begging him for something. _For a hug? For a kiss? For a simple goodnight?_ He swallowed, throat dry.

The sound of his voice surprised both of them.

"I just…" he started, unsure of what to say. Krystal's fingers pressed against his hand. He stared down at her, overwhelmed. He'd just gone on a date with her. With Krystal. With the gorgeous alien vixen he'd rescued from certain death… the girl he'd fallen in love with at first sight.

Her eyes urged him on.

He wet his lips, starting again. "I-I wanted to say how much I…" But his voice cracked, faltering.

Her eyes flickered down his body, to the floor. He watched her long eyelashes press against her cheek as she gave a soft sigh, releasing his hand.

His heart fell.

But then her arms were slipping around him, pressing him close to her. His eyes were wide as he held her tentatively against him, feeling warmth spread across his body. Her hands slid up his back, pressing against his shoulder blades, firm and gentle at the same time.

"You're a wonderful man, Fox," she murmured, her lovely voice soft and muffled against his shoulder.

His hands pressed against her, drifting slightly down toward her lower back. _Not that wonderful,_ he thought.

"Not as wonderful as you," he mumbled, almost too soft to be heard.

She pulled back, looking him straight in the face. Both of her hands sought his.

That was when his floor dinged.

"This is my stop," he said gently, glancing to the door.

She lowered her eyes. "It is," she agreed, her voice soft.

He hesitated for a moment.

"Krystal…"

She looked up at him, her eyes eager.

He pressed the button to keep the elevator door open.

"I … just …" His fingers flexed against her hands, and his eyes flickered between hers. "I just wanted to say … thanks again. For a great dinner."

Her eyes softened as she smiled up at him. "I should be the one thanking you," she murmured.

He smiled too.

_Do something,_ groaned his inner monologue.

So he did.

He lifted one of her hands in his, and brought it to his lips, kissing the inside of her wrist.

Krystal shivered as she felt the warmth of his breath.

"Goodnight," he murmured.

"Goodnight," she whispered.

And with that, he was gone.

* * *

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Krystal woke up from a glorious dream. Reluctant to leave it behind, she lay in bed a few minutes longer, closing her eyes. She could still feel the warmth of it, the sweetness. Why were the good ones always so hard to remember?

She sighed, stretching, asking the computer to recite today's schedule.

_Right. Training._

She grinned, remembering her conversation from the past afternoon. Men were so ridiculous. Always afraid of losing what they already had.

Of course, after the unresolved tension of last night…

Perhaps he didn't realize he already had her affection.

She stretched, slipping out of bed, pulling the covers up behind her. Then, digging through her clothes, she searched for appropriate athletic wear.

_These Cornerians probably wouldn't approve of a loincloth…_

And neither would Fox, no doubt. She chuckled.

Luckily, she had some short bloomers, which she fitted under a modest tunic. "That should do," she told herself. Nothing Cornerian-inappropriate. It wasn't really her style; she preferred her body to breathe. But now that she was in a different place, she supposed it wouldn't hurt to try to conform to popular expectations. She hadn't seen many people running around in two-piece clothing here. In fact, she hadn't seen more than two, and those two people had received some very strange glances from passerby.

_God forbid they see my usual wardrobe._

She headed down toward the gym, where trainees were supposed to meet their trainers. No one was in the corridor; no one was in the elevator. The entire building seemed oddly vacant, though she knew there were countless people living and working in it.

_I'm starting to miss my random encounters with Falco,_ she thought with a grin. The floors dinged down until she reached the level with the gym.

It was bustling. _Seems like I found all the people,_ she thought wryly, glancing around.

She made her way through the lobby. In spite of her attempt to be appropriate, a few people gave her odd looks. Perhaps this outfit was too archaic for them. She smiled to herself, holding her head even higher. _I represent my culture with pride._ Even if she was the only representative left. _Especially_ if she was the only representative. She squared her shoulders and headed toward office 3b.

Inside was a handsome light-furred fox with long, lofty ears, waiting on a fitness bench. He glanced in her direction as she approached, smiling and getting to his feet.

"Krystal?" he asked gently, his pale eyes sparkling.

She grinned. "The very same," she confirmed, reaching out a hand. "Sedge?"

He nodded, shaking her hand eagerly, smile widening. "Well, well. It's certainly a pleasure."

She laughed. "I suppose I already have a reputation."

He nodded. "You should be proud." He crossed over to his desk, shuffling through a file, pulling out a sheet. She noticed her name at the top, above a set of charts. "Anything you need me to know about before we get started?"

"Hmmm," Krystal thought aloud. "I've been trained in martial arts and meditation… most of my experience involves self-resistance and flexibility. But I'm highly disciplined, and new concepts are relatively easy for me to grasp."

Sedge gave a low whistle. "Seems like you've already done most of the work for me!"

She laughed again, blushing a little this time. "I'm not _that_ experienced."

"Still," he mused, "I've gotta find a way to challenge you. Which won't be easy." He jotted something down on her chart. Then he said, "What about me? Do you have any expectations?"

Krystal bit her lip, remembering yesterday's conversation. _He seems perfectly nice and friendly to me._ She even nudged a bit with her mind, confirming her suspicions. _He's a rather kind soul. Nothing truly malicious in there at all._

"No, no real expectations," she said quietly. "Just an open line of communication and mutual respect."

Sedge grinned. "Everyone must want you for a friend."

She shrugged. "I've only been here for a short time, but I seem to be doing fine for myself."

His eyes twinkled. "Well then," he said, gesturing to the workout room. "Let's keep it up."

* * *

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Fox threw his towel over his shoulder, watching the elevator floors ding past. After last night, he had to do something to release the pent-up tension; and what better to do that than working out? The gym would be a welcome sight.

As he stepped out of the elevator, he realized that everyone seemed to be on the same page. The gym was packed. He'd never seen so many people in it at once. Probably some kind of event he'd forgotten about. He never paid attention to things like that.

He headed toward his favorite spot: the treadmills. Nothing put him in a better mood than a hot, panting run. He clicked on his machine, stepping onto the belt. Then he set the incline and speed, setting off at a moderate pace. He could feel the heat start building in his muscles, warming him up for his second-favorite thing: free weights. A delicious shiver traveled down his spine as all of the tension from the night before started melting away.

"Check her out," mumbled a sandy, dingo-faced mutt next to him. He was talking to his buddy, who glanced over and nodded his sharp doberman muzzle in appreciation.

"Wow," the doberman approved.

They were staring across the room, toward the empty space where people usually practiced yoga and meditation.

Fox turned his eyes to follow their line of sight, and almost tripped off the treadmill.

Krystal was in a full split, stretching toward the sky, her face twisted in a look of concentration. Sedge the trainer stood beside her, looking professional and serious and handsome, his lips moving, advising her. Fox couldn't hear him over the noise of the machines. His ears flicked forward, alert, attentive, straining to hear anything the fennec was saying.

"Looks like McCloud agrees with us," chuckled the doberman.

Fox gave him a harsh glance.

The doberman's mutt buddy scowled. "What's the big deal?" he said, stopping his machine and fixing Fox with a stern glare. "Everyone knows babe-watching is half the fun of going to the gym." He wiped his machine down with his towel, resetting the controls.

Fox rolled his eyes, staring ahead. "She's not your ordinary _babe_," he growled.

The mutt scoffed. "Whatever. Last time I checked, I could look at whoever I wanted."

"Hey Wil, don't go picking a fight." The doberman slowed his pace, coming to a stop. He stepped off of his treadmill and over to stand beside Fox's, looking up at him. Fox glanced over. He recognized him vaguely from some flight simulations. "You probably don't remember me. I'm Gabriel. Don't mind my buddy Wil over there; he's moody."

Wil scowled.

"Anyway," continued Gabriel, "You know her?"

Fox nodded. "Yeah. I do." He glanced at Gabriel again. "I remember you vaguely. Flight sim?"

The doberman nodded. "What's her name?"

"Krystal," murmured Fox.

Gabriel grinned, noticing the look in his eyes. "Gotcha. Have a nice workout, brother."

Fox nodded to him. "Thanks. You too."

Gabriel gathered his friend Wil, and the two of them headed off toward the bench press corner.

Now Fox was scowling as he watched Krystal get to her feet, stretching down to touch the floor. Sedge placed a hand on her back, nothing inappropriate, just surveying and making sure she didn't hurt herself. That didn't stop the pang of jealousy that spread through Fox's chest, the surge of protective instinct that made him lurch forward on the treadmill.

_Mine,_ hissed his subconsciousness.

Blushing, he shoved away the feeling of possession._ She is __**not**__ mine. And I'm sure she wouldn't appreciate me thinking about her like that._

Still, as he watched Sedge get down beside her, instructing her on something new, he felt another twinge. All of the tension released by the jog was rebuilding. He switched off his treadmill, wiping it down with his towel, grumbling. "So much for that idea."

The free weights were across the room, closer to where Krystal was stretching. He edged over there, feeling strangely invasive, like he was stalking her or something. Nervously, he selected his weights, perching on a bench.

"That's it," Sedge was saying in a soothing voice. "Make sure you keep all the muscles engaged. Don't push or pull too hard."

He heard Krystal's sharp intake of breath, her awkward laugh. "Whoops. Forgot to breathe again."

Sedge smiled at her reassuringly. "It happens to all of us."

Fox lifted and lowered his weights robotically, his attention focused not on his workout, but Krystal's. He didn't keep count of his reps; he just kept going until his biceps burned and his shoulders felt like they were going to give out. He gasped as he replaced the weights. He rubbed his left arm, looking pained, giving an involuntary whimper. "Jeez."

"McCloud!"

_Oh God no._

Fox stretched his face into a pained smile. "Hawthorne," he said halfheartedly, acknowledging Sedge.

Krystal twisted around. "Fox!" Her eyes sparkled.

Fox glanced between them. "How's the training going?" he asked, feeling tense.

Krystal smiled. "Well, so far. I think." She looked over at Sedge.

He nodded. "She really knows her stuff. But I bet you knew that already," he finished, winking at Fox.

Fox's heart thudded. "Uh, well, she certainly knows her way around a flight simulation."

"And a blaster, from what I hear," added Sedge.

Krystal looked suddenly embarrassed. "Just the usual things one needs to know in the military."

Sedge laughed. "Modest, too. Where'd you find her, anyway?"

Fox had to smile at that. "Trapped on a foreign planet." He looked into her eyes.

"He saved me," Krystal noted, meeting his gaze.

Sedge chuckled. "Well, if you guys want to reminisce, I can find something else to do…"

Fox waved his hand dismissively. "This is your job," he said, as lighthearted as possible. "I was just leaving anyway." _Since I ruined my arms … Damn. _They were actually starting to throb.

"Fox?" It was Krystal.

He glanced over at her, raising his eyebrows. "Hmm?"

"I was wondering…"

Her pretty eyes darted to the floor.

"Would you…" she began, her voice faltering. She cleared her throat. "Maybe you'd like to get drinks with me tonight? Sometime this evening?"

Fox blinked. "Um, sure. What time were you thinking?"

She shrugged, looking up into his eyes. "I'll send a message to your room when I think of it?"

"Yeah," he said, thinking. "Just let me know as soon as you can…"

He glanced reflexively at Sedge, who was looking between the two of them with amusement.

"Of course!" said Krystal, obviously excited. "Alright. Now," she said, turning to Sedge. "Where were we?"

"Going over your stretches," supplied Sedge, looking professional again.

Krystal turned back to face the wall, situating herself. "Right. Here's the next."

As she started to twist into a new pose, Fox stood to leave. He walked toward the door, twisting his towel between his hands. _Drinks tonight with Krystal. _He glanced back to give the gorgeous blue vixen one last look before he left, grinning as he remembered Gabriel and Wil. _She __**is **__quite the sight,_ he thought, his heart melting as his eyes traced her gentle curves. Then he turned, leaving the room.

What he didn't notice was Sedge, jealousy brimming over and twisting his handsome face.

* * *

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OHOHO.

I smell conflict.

**Questions, ideas, suggestions?  
You ask for it, and I'll be inspired!**

And make sure you check out my deviantart at the account frenzied-insanity!  
I've got some really nice paintings of Krystal and Fox up!

(I take commissions and requests!)

**_Review please!_**  
I'll listen to your words!


	12. Hot Mess

**Many, many, many thanks to ALL of my wonderful reviewers!  
... ESPECIALLY those of you who come back and review after my long absence!**

I'm sorry for going MIA for so long! I've just been SO incredibly busy...  
I was a soloist in a musical here in town... Had a birthday...  
Was the leader of some kids at a camp... Got sick...  
Painted/framed a gift for a dear, dear friend and mentor...  
Sent out a bunch of job applications...

... and finally, finished this chapter!

So, to those of you still reading:  
THANK YOU. And please enjoy! c:

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( ... Drinking isn't always the answer ... )

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* * *

**Krytal's Adventures**

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**Tales of the Cobalt Vixen**  
A Collection of Cornerian Shorts

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**Chapter Twelve:** "Hot Mess"

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The barbell clinked as Sedge pressed it up slowly over his chest, careful years of safety training warring with the desire to pump ferociously. His impressive arm muscles strained against the resistance; his breath hissed between his teeth.

He was better than this.

_Clank. Clank._

He didn't need to compare himself to McCloud.

_Clank._

He shouldn't crave everything the pilot had. It wasn't worth the shame, the jealousy.

He closed his eyes.

Her face flashed back at him: the blue vixen, the newest girl he couldn't have. Beautiful, kind; gentle and determined...

_"He saved me,"_ echoed her voice inside his mind, and behind his own eyelids, he saw the look of sheer adoration on Fox's face.

His muscles tensed.

With a grunt, he replaced the barbells, heading for the treadmills.

This was clearly a cardio problem.

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After giving a little shake, Krystal stepped out of the shower, reaching for a towel. It was soft in her hands, fragrant. She smiled, bringing it to her nose. Such a comforting scent.

She patted her face dry, her hair and ears, rubbed the towel lightly across her body. She shook out her still-damp fur, stepping into her bedroom.

"Computer," she called, her voice soft but commanding.

The little screen by the door flashed brighter.

"Send message to Fox McCloud. Meet in the lobby in thirty minutes."

The screen flashed again. "Message confirmed," said the calm digital voice. "Request notification of message receipt?"

Krystal shook her head in reflex, smiling as she remembered that her computer needed audible commands.

"No," she called.

Then she frowned. A thought crossed her mind.

"Have I received any messages?"

A slight pause.

"One message, sender Divya Devereaux. Request playback?"

Krystal blinked. Divya, the girl she'd met at Café Jesperia.

She smiled. "Yes, please," she said, eager and surprised.

Ac crackling sound came from the computer speakers, tipping her off.

_A vocal message. _So she'd called her room.

"Hello, Krystal," rang out the dragon's gentle, honey-sweet voice. "Since it was such an extraordinary pleasure meeting you the other day, I'm a little determined to make you my friend."

Krystal smiled, blushing a bit. The message continued.

"Would you like to get drinks with me sometime? Coffee or cocktails are both fine with me... but no more cosmic coladas, not for a while."

Krystal laughed out loud.

"Anyway," continued Divya, "Call me back at this number if you feel like going out." The dragon gave a soft giggle. "Until then," she finished, and the message clicked off.

A wide smile spread across Krystal's face.

She asked the computer to call the number.

* * *

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Fox waited in the lobby, his leg shaking with a nervous tic. A memory of Falco's unwanted advice suddenly rang through his mind.

"_You know, legs aren't supposed to do that. It's a sign of sexual frustration."_

Fox scoffed. Leave it to Falco to make everything about sex.

He glanced at his wristwatch. _Any minute now…_

His leg shook harder.

Somehow, the thought of Krystal getting ready to meet him made him even more nervous. What if she'd forgotten? Even worse: what if he had the wrong time? He checked his watch again. What if she was already here, watching him check his watch?

He jerked up, staring around the lobby.

No one.

He groaned. "Oh my god," he mumbled. _This is ridiculous. I'm about to have a panic attack and she's not even __**here**__ yet._

Falco's voice rang through his mind again.

"_Bro, calm down."_

He scoffed.

"No really. You need to calm down."

It took Fox a minute to realize that it wasn't in his head. Falco was actually standing in the lobby, staring down at him with a bemused look on his face.

Fox groaned. "Hey," he muttered.

Falco strutted over to the couch, plopping down beside Fox. "Hey Foxy." He grinned. "What's eatin' ya?"

Fox glared at him. "Shut up."

"Oho!" Falco laughed. "That's no way to treat a lady!"

Fox cocked an eyebrow. "So, you're finally admitting it?"

Falco punched him in the arm, chuckling. "Admitting you're crazy? Yeah." He ruffled the crest of fur between Fox's ears. "But seriously, you better take a chill pill before Krystal gets here."

Fox stared at him. "How did you know that-"

Falco raised his eyebrows.

Fox looked at the floor. "That obvious, huh?" he mumbled, and Falco chuckled.

"You know it, ole buddy ole pal." Then Falco slipped a sly arm around Fox's shoulders. "So… What are you two lovebirds doin' tonight?"

Fox felt his face heat up. "Nothing, really," he mumbled. "Just drinks." He scratched his ear, anxious to change the subject. "What are _you_ doing tonight, Lombardi?"

Falco grinned. "Third wheel?" he asked, nudging Fox in the side.

Fox frowned. "No."

"Awww," whined Falco. "Come on. I just wanna get some drinks. You won't even know I'm there."

Fox raised his eyebrow. "No way."

Falco scooted closer to him on the couch, squeezing his shoulders. "Come on. Please? I hate drinking alone. And I _really_ need a drink..."

Fox stared at his friend, who was practically pouting. He caved. "Fine," Fox groaned. "But the minute you start getting in the way-"

"Don't worry, don't worry," Falco said quickly, holding up his hands. "No cockblocking. I promise."

Fox blushed. "I didn't say anything about-"

"I got your back, McCloud," interrupted Falco, smacking him on the back. "Remember that."

"Am I interrupting something?"

Fox choked at the sound of her sweet voice.

_Did she just hear all of that?_

Falco was immediately on his feet, reaching out to take her hand. "Good evening, milady," he crooned.

Fox looked up to see her flash a winning smile, lighting up her pretty face. As usual, he was stunned by her beauty. She wore a simple little sundress, light blue with a white ribbon; but somehow, it was the most exquisite thing he'd ever seen.

He stumbled to his feet, giving her a shaky grin. "Hey, Krystal," he murmured. His heart stopped when she skipped lightly to his side, wrapping her arm around his waist.

She squeezed him close in a quick hug. "I'm so excited for tonight!" she giggled, her voice light and giddy. She released him and backed away, fixing him with a happy gaze.

A wave of guilt crashed through Fox's heart. "There's something about that," he stuttered. He glanced over at Falco, who was looking pointedly around the room. Fox cleared his throat. "Um, Krystal, I need to tell you… I hope you won't be upset…"

She bit her lip, lowering her eyes. Fox watched her long eyelashes flutter against her cheeks. "Actually… I need to tell you something, too. Promise me you'll forgive me?"

Fox blinked. "Of course. Anything." He coughed. "I mean… What is it?"

Krystal looked up at him through her lashes. "Please don't be upset."

Without thinking, Fox smiled. It was a warm, genuine smile. "I could never be upset with you," he murmured, knowing it was true.

Krystal bit her lip again. "Well… I may have… invited a friend to join us tonight."

Relief rushed through him. "Me too!" he blurted, glancing over at Falco.

Krystal's eyes widened. Then she laughed. Fox laughed, too.

"Well," she sighed. "That's a relief."

_My thoughts exactly,_ Fox mused, smiling down at her. "Maybe your friend can keep my friend company."

Krystal giggled. "Or we can all keep each other company!"

"I like that idea," provided Falco, suddenly joining in the conversation.

Fox glared at him. "So much for not even knowing you're there," he grumbled. Falco wrapped a good-natured arm around his shoulders.

"Don't worry, Foxy. I'll give you all an equal share." He winked at Krystal, who, to everyone's surprise, winked back. Fox looked between them, startled.

"You boys know I love you," she giggled, and Fox's heart spluttered. "So don't worry," she continued. "I'll make sure to pay attention to everyone."

Then she reached out, and, for a split second, squeezed Fox's hand.

He blinked. It was over. Had he imagined it?

"She's meeting us at the lounge," Krystal was saying. "Let's go save some seats at the bar!"

* * *

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He patted the towel over his damp fur, breathing the lingering mist from his hot shower.

Good workout.

His muscles ached with sweet fatigue. He couldn't even remember what was bothering him.

Yes he could. But he _wouldn't_.

He threw the damp towel to the ground, stepping out into the cool, dry air of his apartment. He was too tired to think of it now. He couldn't think of it. _Good workout._ Feel the soreness, the building muscles. Focus on that. Not on her. Not on Krystal.

His heart thudded.

Behind his closed eyelids, he could see her, doing her stretches this morning. So lithe and agile… He'd rarely seen anyone so naturally flexible. And a pleasure to watch, with her delicate curves and perfect little face…

He shook his head. "Get it together," he grunted, pressing his ears back. He walked over to his dresser, tossing out some shorts and a muscle tee. "Focus."

Then, suddenly, he was looking in the mirror. He couldn't even remember getting dressed. When did he put those sneakers on?

He stared at his feet, at the lines of his muscles under the tee. He flexed.

"You could get any girl you want," he told himself, staring into the reflection of his own pale eyes. "You're a good-looking guy. Any girl would want you."

_Except her_, a bitter voice reminded him.

He shook his head, and grabbed his jacket.

_I need a drink._

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OHOHO WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN!

Thank you, as always, for reading... especially after my long absence.  
I really want to be the best writer I can be, and provide the best stories I can.  
I LOVE YOU GUYS. c': I hang on your every comment!

Comments, suggestions, questions?  
**_Review please!_** I'll listen to your words!


	13. Even Messier

**Many, many, many thanks to ALL of my wonderful reviewers!  
... ESPECIALLY those of you who come back and review after my long absence!**

**You guys are the best. I love each and every one of you, and I hang on your every word. You inspire me beyond explanation. *hugs and kisses***

* * *

I love you guys so much.

I'm so sorry for going on such long hiatuses... I've had a lot of personal things going on lately, and it's been rough. :c

Here's a new chapter for your reading pleasure; I hope it's decent! I'm trying to get back in the saddle!

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( ... What goes around, comes around ... )

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* * *

**Krytal's Adventures**

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**Tales of the Cobalt Vixen**  
A Collection of Cornerian Shorts

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**Chapter Thirteen:** "Even Messier"

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Fox and Falco sat at the bar, waiting for Krystal to return from the bathroom.

"What chicks do in there, I'll never know," Falco muttered, shaking his head. "That's probably where she's meeting her friend or something."

Fox punched him in the arm. "Shut up," he grumbled. "She's coming back."

Krystal strolled up to them, sitting daintily on the barstool next to Fox. She grinned.

"I'm already having so much fun," she said, her voice light. She leaned over, nudging him playfully with her shoulder. "Thanks for accepting my invitation."

Fox scratched the back of his head, feeling his cheeks heat up. "As if I would've said no," he murmured, his eyes flickering between hers. He smiled awkwardly.

She giggled. "Oh, Fox," she sighed.

Falco made a noise behind him.

He twisted around, glaring at him. "Falco, I swear…"

Krystal was chuckling. "Now, now, boys," she teased.

Fox turned slowly away from Falco, facing the counter He craned his neck, looking for the bartender. "What does it take to get some service in here, anyway," he mumbled under his breath. Krystal reached out and rubbed his back, making him blush again.

"So, Krystal," interjected Falco. "When's this lady friend of yours gettin' here?"

She smiled over at him. "Anytime," she said. Then she called across the room. "Hello, bartender? We need some service over here, please."

The server immediately came to their side of the bar.

Falco chuckled. "Girls get all the luck," he quipped.

"What can I do you for?" asked the bartender, leaning over the counter. He winked at Krystal.

"I've got her," Fox said quickly, gesturing to her. Krystal smacked his arm playfully.

"Oh no you don't," she said. She leaned over, nudging him 'out' of the bartender's view. "I invited him tonight, so I'm paying," she announced. "He's _my _date."

Fox's heart skipped a beat.

The bartender smiled. "Alright, little lady," he said. "What'll you and your date have tonight?"

Krystal tapped a finger against her little chin. "Hmm. I'll have an amaretto sour, and…?" She turned to Fox with wide eyes, smiling brightly.

Fox took a breath. "Martini, dry," he said. He glanced back at Krystal, basking in her glow.

The bartender whipped around, going to work.

"Hey!" yelled Falco. "I didn't get to order!" He grumbled, getting up from his stool. "I'm gonna go down there and get a drink. Save my spot." He walked down the counter to where another barista was tending.

Right after he'd left, a soft voice met their ears.

"Hey, um, I hope I'm not too late!"

Krystal turned around, her eyes sparkling. "Divya!" she cried. She patted the seat beside her. "Come here, sit beside me."

Fox turned around to see a pretty orange dragon girl, wearing a purple halter dress. Shyly, she moved over to Krystal, folding her tall legs over the barstool. She blushed. "I'm gonna have to scoot this out… I'm a little too tall."

In the middle of said scooting, the tip of her long tail accidentally smacked Fox in the leg. He looked up, shocked. Krystal giggled.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry," Divya said, stopping and running over to him. "I can't believe I just did that."

Fox laughed. "It's totally fine," he said. "Seriously, don't worry about it. I didn't even feel it. It just scared me, that's all."

Divya was blushing even more now. "Alright," she said, grinning a little bit. "And… I suppose I should mention… I'm Divya. Divya Devereaux." She paused. "Aside from incredibly awkward, I mean."

Fox barked a laugh. "Well, Divya Incredibly Awkward, meet Fox McCloud, Incredibly Okay With That." He held out a hand. Divya smiled, shaking it.

Krystal was looking between them, her eyes sparkling. "I knew you two would get along," she said brightly.

"Let's get some damage done!" came Falco's voice. He was holding two whiskey sours, grinning widely, walking towards the three of them. His eyes traveled over Fox's face, then Krystal's, landing on Divya.

He froze. "Uh…"

Fox frowned, glancing over at her. She looked like she'd seen a ghost.

"Um, hey Falco," she said quietly, the color draining from her face.

"Divya," he said, his voice strained.

Krystal looked between them, shocked. "You two know each other?"

Falco looked very uncomfortable. "Uh… I just… I think I have something to do … or something…"

Fox closed his eyes. "No you don't," he said quietly. "Sit down."

Falco sat down, uncomfortable.

"Now… What happened," Fox asked, sounding tired.

Divya was staring at the counter now, tense.

"Look, we really don't need to talk about this," Falco said quickly. "We're here to have fun, right? The past is the past!"

Fox glared at him.

"Fine," Falco sighed. He leaned in close to Fox's ear, whispering. "Remember the other night? When we were drunk?"

Fox frowned. "Uh, you mean the night you came in at one in the morning and drank all my vodka?" he said, still annoyed. "You owe me for that, by the way."

Falco was quiet. "Remember what I told you that night?"

Fox frowned even deeper. "Um… You went on a bad date… Double-booked with two girls or something, and stood up the-" His eyes shot open and he twisted in his seat. "Shit, Falco!" he hissed.

Krystal was rubbing Divya's back, looking at the two of them. "You two care to let us in on this conversation?" she asked, her face tense.

They turned to look at her, faces grave.

Fox cleared his throat. "Um, Divya, I think Falco has something he wants to say to you."

"_McCloud!" _Falco hissed.

Fox gave him a deadpan look.

Krystal joined him. "What have you got to say, Lombardi?" she asked, her tone low and threatening.

Falco swallowed. Divya was still staring at the counter, avoiding his eyes.

"Uh… Divya…" He smoothed back the crest of feathers on his head, nervous. "Listen."

She cautioned a glance up at him. Her eyes were pained.

He took a deep breath. "Look," he said, steeling himself. He closed his eyes. "I'm an asshole."

"He admits it!" shouted Fox, lifting his arms in victory.

Falco punched him. "I'm an asshole," he continued. "I don't know why, or how. I just am. I think it's my personality or something."

"And another one!" Fox shouted, blocking the next punch.

"Shut up, Fox," he snapped. "I'm trying to talk here."

Fox turned guilty eyes to the girls. "I'm sorry, I've just been waiting for him to say that for _years_," he explained. They nodded, understanding. "Alright. Keep going, Lombardi," Fox said.

Falco took another deep breath. "Divya… I …. never should've stood you up. You're a nice girl. You deserve better than that."

Krystal was staring at him in shock. "Falco!" she gasped.

Divya was shaking her head. "It's okay," she said. "I mean, it wasn't okay. But I'm okay now." She ran her fingers through her shiny feather-locks. "I'd avoid my friend Lux, though…"

Falco groaned. "That guy _hates_ me," he mumbled.

Divya looked at him sadly. "Yeah. I know."

Krystal was getting more and more shocked by the moment. "Wait… That day at Café Jesperia… Were you upset about…" She gasped, looking over at Falco. She was too stunned to speak.

Fox waved down the bartender. "I think we're gonna need another round pretty soon," he said quietly.

"I'm an ass, okay?" Falco said, exasperated. "I admit it! Let's just all get past it… Please?"

Krystal narrowed her eyes. "I'm afraid scorned womanhood doesn't heal that easily," she said quietly.

Divya shook her head. "No, Krystal, it's okay," she murmured. "Let's forget about it. I want to forget about it." She smiled up at everyone. "See? I'm fine. So let's have a good time. We came here for a good time, so let's have it."

Krystal sighed. "Alright. If Divya says it's okay, I believe her." But she shot one more annoyed look at Falco. "Let this be a lesson to you," she said, her voice low.

Falco looked emasculated. "Don't worry about that," he murmured. "Lesson learned."

Fox shot back his martini.

This was gonna be a long night.

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... he had it coming.

You have to admit it.

As always, I thank you so much for reading when I've been gone so much. *hugs*  
I really want to be the best writer I can be, so I hope my storytelling is still on-par!

And as you know...** I adore you all, and I hang on your every lovely word. :3**

Comments, suggestions, questions?  
**_Review please!_** I'll listen to your words!


	14. Ten Out Of Ten

**GAHHH THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR CONTINUING TO FOLLOW THIS STORY! c':**

**I love you all so very very much, and it really means a lot. Especially since I've been so fickle when it comes to updating... D:  
But luckily, my inspiration seems to be flowing again! Which means ... I SHALL BE UPDATING AGAIN! WOOHOO!**

**As always, you guys are the absolute best. You all inspire me every single day. *kisses and nuzzles***

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( ... Shenanigans at the bar lead to certain revelations ...! )

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**Krytal's Adventures**

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**Tales of the Cobalt Vixen**  
A Collection of Cornerian Shorts

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**Chapter Fourteen:** "Ten out of Ten"

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Krystal glanced over at Divya.

She was blushing, her pretty orange cheeks deepened with a pink tint.

"Well, that's why I became a fashion consultant," she said, looking up at Falco with shy violet eyes. "I always loved designing, but I wasn't getting anywhere on my own."

Falco actually looked impressed. "That's awesome," he said, edging closer to her on his barstool. He had the glassy eyes of someone who'd had one too many whisky sours, but he seemed genuinely interested. "So now you sell the stuff you make?"

She nodded. "I try to," she murmured, blushing even more.

Krystal turned back to Fox, grinning widely, and he smiled. "Looks like I won't have to kick Falco's ass after all," he said good-naturedly, cocking a bushy white eyebrow. "Not if he keeps this up."

"He's being gentlemanly enough," agreed Krystal, her eyes softening. They glittered like gems. Then they gleamed with mischief. "Speaking of," she said teasingly, clinking a claw against her empty glass, "Wouldn't a gentleman offer to cap off my drink?"

Fox's mouth quirked in a half-smile. "I thought I was _your _date tonight," he said softly, nudging her with his elbow.

"Doesn't mean you can't treat me to a refill," she countered, looking at him through thick black lashes.

His throat went dry.

"You won't treat the lady to a refill?" asked an incredulous, resonant baritone voice.

Fox looked up, immediately clenching his teeth.

"Sedge!" cried Krystal, smiling widely.

The good-looking trainer smiled down at them. "How're my two favorite pilots? Aside from going thirsty, I mean," he added, winking at Krystal.

Fox bit back a snarl, shocked at himself.

_What the hell?_ Sure, Sedge wasn't his favorite person; but that was no reason to pick a fight. But something seemed off about the handsome Sedge Hawthorne tonight. Fox couldn't quite put his nose on it, but the feeling itself was enough to set him on edge. "Don't worry," he grumbled, looking up at the trainer with skeptical eyes. "I'd never leave Krystal wanting for anything."

"I believe it," said Sedge, wholeheartedly. "Who'd ever leave a lady like her in wanting?"

That was when Fox saw it; the warm, fiery fondness that flashed through Sedge's eyes. As Hawthorne looked down at Krystal, his expression softened for a split second, his gaze burning with desire. It was gone in a blink, but Fox saw it; and in that moment, all of his worst fears were confirmed.

Sedge Hawthorne had his sights set on Fox's girl.

_Again._

Krystal was talking. "Such flattery," she said, looking skeptical. "I promise, I am not worthy of such high praise." She lowered her eyes humbly, shaking her head. Fox admired the soft blue lock that draped across her forehead, watching as she brushed it back behind her ear. "I have more than my fair share of faults."

Sedge scoffed, and to Fox's horror, pulled a barstool over to sit next to them. "Not that I can see," he murmured, looking at Krystal with gentle eyes. Then he turned to glance at Fox. "Wouldn't you agree, McCloud?"

He cleared his throat. "Uh, Sedge," he said, feeling like a jerk. But he'd be damned if he let this bastard interrupt his time with Krystal. "Do you mind if … uh …"

"Woah, Hawthorne!" bellowed Falco, staggering off of his barstool. He walked over and smacked Sedge on the back with a feathery wingtip. "What brings you down to the bowels of hell with the rest of us?"

Sedge chuckled. "Felt a little thirsty after training today," he said, grinning at Falco. "Don't let me take you away from your pretty little date," he added, nodding toward Divya.

Fox scowled. Speaking of taking people away from their dates… "Sedge," he grumbled. "It's kind of a private party, if you know what I mean."

The trainer's pale eyes widened, and he looked repentant. "Oh, dude, I'm so sorry," he said, starting to get up from his stool.

"Sedge can stay if he likes," offered Krystal diplomatically, winning a smile from the fennec in question.

Fox cringed.

Luckily, Falco came to the rescue. He had a knack for that. "I wanna introduce you to Divya," he said, slurring a little bit. He grabbed Sedge's huge bicep with a wing, shoving him away from Fox and Krystal. "She's a great gal. Talking to me even after I was a total asshole." He looked at her in admiration, and she blushed again. "Such a great gal," murmured Falco, dragging Sedge toward her.

Sedge glanced back at Krystal wistfully as Falco manhandled him away, much to Fox's relief.

"You know," she murmured. "I had a lovely session with him today. He seemed perfectly normal to me."

She was so sweet and kind.

And clueless.

Fox sighed. "He likes you," he grumbled.

Krystal blinked. Then she raised one dainty eyebrow. "Oh Fox," she said, doubtful. "That's impossible. I just met him this morning."

"That's all it takes," Fox muttered, his expression turning bashful. Then he grabbed his drink and downed most of the rest, feeling his face heat up.

She bit her lip, one pearly canine peeking over her little white chin. "What are you saying exactly?" she asked coyly.

Fox looked at his knees. "You're gorgeous," he mumbled. "I mean, guys fall for you at first sight. It's just the truth."

"Are you trying to tell me something?" she pressed, and he felt her lean closer.

On a reflex, he glanced up, and his heart stopped. She was much closer than he'd expected.

Way too close.

The tip of his nose brushed against hers, and his heart stuttered.

She looked at him through her lashes, her eyes half-lidding. "Well?" she asked, nudging their noses together again.

Fox felt like he was going to explode. His chest was tight and he was suddenly hyper-aware of the fact that his mouth smelled like gin. "I…" He leaned back a little, licking his tongue nervously around his muzzle. "Um… Well, I was talking to some guys in the gym today, and-"

Krystal cut him off, pressing one delicate finger against his lips. He shut up.

"Tell me, Fox," she said softly, closing the distance between them again. He could smell the faint, flowery fragrance of her fur, her sweet amaretto-scented breath. Her eyes sparkled at him like living emeralds, and she smiled, lifting her finger away from his muzzle.

He took a breath, fixing her with his eyes.

"That's all it took for me," he whispered.

She leaned closer, so that their noses were almost touching again. "What?" she asked, breathless.

Warmth rushed through Fox's body, from his ears down to the tip of his tail. He shivered. "Just one look," he murmured, looking at her with soft eyes. "One look at you, Krystal." He reached up a trembling hand to thread it through the glossy bob of locks that framed her face, feeling his mouth go dry. "You're so beautiful," he said, feeling his breath hitch as he touched her cheek.

He could feel her skin heat up under his fingers. "Fox," she sighed, her eyes flickering between his, and he shuddered as he felt her arms slip around his neck. She leaned against him, and he realized their muzzles were a breath away. "Please," she whispered, running one hand up the back of his neck.

He touched his nose to hers. Then the world stopped moving.

Slowly, very slowly, he kissed the side of her little white muzzle, tasting the soft downy fur. Her breath caught in a quiet gasp. With a deep shiver of pleasure, he felt the tickle of her nose as she buried her face in his cheek, giving him a soft, shy kiss on his jaw.

Now both of his hands were on her cheeks. He touched the blue velvet of her ears, stroked his fingers down her neck. It was like holding an angel. She trembled under his hands, and he fought back the wave of things he wanted to think about. He couldn't help it. How much would she tremble when he touched her somewhere else? _If he touched her somewhere else?_

"Thank you," she murmured, pulling back to look into his eyes. Then she leaned forward to kiss his chin with the tip of her tongue.

He was a little stunned at her words. "Th-thank you?" he asked. Not exactly something he thought to say after a romantic moment.

"For telling me," she clarified, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. She hugged herself close, and he shivered as he felt her chest press against his. Krystal nuzzled against his neck, snuggling closer, and a spike of pleasure shot down his spine as he felt her nip sweetly at the base of his ear. "It was the same for me," she whispered, her warm breath tickling him. "Just one look."

"Woah, woah, woah," Falco groaned, somewhere beside them.

The foxes sprang apart, twisting around to find him staring at them with mock derision.

"Get a room," he added, rolling his eyes in an exaggerated expression. "Geez."

That was when Fox noticed that Divya was beside him, her arm looped through his feathers. He gave Falco a sly grin. "Look who's talkin'," Fox said, glancing at the beautiful dragon girl on Falco's arm. Divya bit her lip and smiled lopsidedly, showing one white fang.

"What can I say?" she muttered, her voice soft and bashful. "I'm a sucker for guys who beg."

Fox chuckled and gave a low whistle. Falco glared at him.

"Whatever," he grumbled, brushing his free hand through the ruffled crest of dark blue feathers on his head. "You're just pissed 'cause you're not the only one with a ten anymore."

Krystal frowned. "A ten?"

Falco winked at the vixen. "A ten out of ten." Then he pulled Divya closer, looking down at her with soft blue eyes. "As in a freakin' _gorgeous_ lady."

"Shut up," muttered Divya, but she grinned.

"Get a room," joked Fox, but he was too happy about Krystal's kiss to actually be mad. And besides, it wasn't good form for a pilot to be caught kissing in the lounge at headquarters.

"Maybe we will," said Falco suggestively, but Divya elbowed him in the ribs.

"Don't push your luck," she warned, blushing and giving him a sassy look.

Krystal chuckled, her tail swishing. "Make no big decisions under the influence," she advised, sounding knowledgeable. Then she grinned and laced her hand with one of Fox's. Out of the corner of his eye, Fox could see Sedge Hawthorne lurking through the lounge, glancing over at them with a bristling expression.

He held Krystal's hand tighter.

"The influence is making me sleepy," he murmured, eager to get away from Sedge's stare.

Divya nodded. "Me too. Falco's walking me home," she added, looking up at Lombardi with adoring violet eyes.

Before Fox could give another low whistle, Falco punched him.

"Perhaps you could walk me to _my_ room," asked Krystal softly, pressing her fingers against Fox's. "I'm rather sleepy myself."

His heart thudded. "Sure, Krystal," he said, his voice cracking.

"Well," cried Falco, grinning widely at McCloud. "On that note, I better get this young lady home." He tightened his hold on Divya, and she gave Fox and Krystal a lovely smile.

"Thanks for inviting me," she said, looking grateful. "I had a wonderful time." Her voice was sincere.

"Of course," said Krystal warmly, her eyes glittering at her friend. "We must do it again sometime."

Falco dipped his head in a dramatic nod, and took a step toward the door. "I feel like we will," he announced, and the two of them headed out of the lounge. "Thanks for letting me tag along," he called back, lifting his free wing in a friendly wave. And then they were gone.

Fox stared at the door for a moment.

Then he turned to Krystal.

She was heartbreakingly beautiful.

"So," she murmured, looking up at him through her lashes. "Walk me home?"

His throat went dry, and he took a breath.

"Of course," he said. He scrambled up from his barstool, looking for the barista. When he caught his eye, Fox called out to him. "Just put it all on my tab." The bartender nodded, and Fox took another deep breath, offering Krystal his arm. His heart was pounding. Hard.

She got up and slipped her arm through his, holding it with sweet warm fingers.

"My hero," she said softly, looking up at him.

And under all the nerves, the terror, the elation and utterly swirling feelings, Fox really felt like she was right. He was a hero.

He was_ her_ hero.

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:'3

... I don't know about you guys, but I am so happy right now! c:

As always, I thank you so much for reading! Especially after my unannounced leave of absence! *hugs*  
Hope I'm continuing to provide you guys with a great story that you're enjoying, and continuing to portray the characters accurately! c':

And as you know...** I adore you all, you sweet, sweet people! *mmmmmmmwah***

Comments, suggestions, questions?  
**_Review please!_** I'll listen to your words!


	15. Bianca

**As always, I want to thank all of you so very much! **

**I read every review, and just to hear your feedback makes me so happy and inspired! c':**

**I love you all times a million, and a million over again! :3 *snuggles* I can't wait to hear from you about this chapter!**

**... And yes ... even though it's still early in the game ... I think it's safe to say my writer's block is gone! :')**

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( ... an unexpected glimpse into Sedge's private life ... and the plot thickens ... )

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**Krytal's Adventures**

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**Tales of the Cobalt Vixen**  
A Collection of Cornerian Shorts

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**Chapter Fifteen:** "Bianca"

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Sedge stumbled down the street, desperate.

Everything was blurry. He knew he'd had too much to drink, but he didn't care. This urgency was real, and he was ready to do anything to get rid of it.

Some girls gasped as he shoved his way through their group, barely casting a second glance at their skimpy outfits. Clubbing, no doubt. He didn't give a damn. All the tail in the world couldn't compare to the girl he wanted now. The girl who wanted someone else.

His chest tightened as he continued down the road, a hot wave of rage flooding through him.

"Fuck that," he grumbled, trying to collect himself. There was another group of girls approaching, and he wanted to prove a point. Sedge threw his shoulders back, cocked his impressive ears up tall, and strode past them with purpose. He should've been delighted when they sighed in approval, watching him as he walked away.

But it only made him feel worse.

Finally, he reached her building. He mashed his claw into the doorbell for apartment 7F, then mashed it again for good measure.

After a moment of silence, a tired female voice crackled through the intercom.

"Hello?" she asked. "Who is it?"

"Sedge," he muttered, and the girl gasped.

"Sedge!" she cried on the other end of the line. "What are you doing here? Are you okay?"

He nodded, then he realized she couldn't see that. "Yeah," he mumbled. "Can I come up?"

The door beeped open and he stumbled across the threshold, making his way up to the seventh floor. The elevator was impossible to find. He'd been in this building too many times to count, and now a little alcohol made him forget the layout? He scoffed, and almost fell flat on his face. Shit. Okay. Gotta keep it together. Something dinged over to his right, and he twisted around, his head spinning.

There was the elevator. He walked toward it with deliberate steps, trying not to trip.

When he got to 7F, she was already at the door, holding it open.

It was a petite girl with snowy white fur and a pointed, wolfish muzzle. "Oh my god, Sedge," she muttered, pressing her ears back and rushing out to loop an arm around his back. He leaned against her, so much taller. Luckily, she was strong for her size, but it was still an odd sight: Muscular, towering Sedge, relying on the little white wolf in the nighty.

"I'm fine," he slurred. "Just need to sit down."

She helped him into her apartment, settling him on the couch. Then she went back to lock her door, tugging down on the short skirt of her nighty.

"Can I have some water?" asked Sedge, blinking blearily over in her direction.

She bustled over to the kitchen and fixed him a glass, padding back over on swift, bare paws. "Here," she muttered, handing him the water. She helped him lift it to his lips and take a big sip, but he still spilled it down his chin.

"Oh, shit," he grumbled, wiping himself dry with sloppy hands. "I messed it up. I'm sorry, Bianca."

She laughed, but her eyes were tense. "You just spilled a little water, silly," she murmured, sitting down beside him and helping him dry off. "It's not a big deal. I'm more worried about the fact that you're drunk."

He rolled his eyes. "Just a little drunk," he grunted.

"Why?" asked Bianca, fixing him with skeptical golden eyes.

Sedge shrugged. "Girls." he frowned. "A girl. One girl."

Bianca lifted her eyebrows. "Oh?" Her long, fluffy wolf-tail swished against the couch-cushions. "I'm guessing you want to talk about it."

He looked at her sheepishly. "Do you mind?"

"Of course not," she said, giving him a warm look. "You know I'm always here for you."

"I know," he acknowledged, smiling a little. "You're a sweetheart."

She blushed, her pale pink nose flushing a deeper color. "So, tell me about this girl," she said.

Sedge sighed. "She's great," he mumbled. "Nice, gorgeous, all that stuff. But she digs another guy."

"Ah," said Bianca, putting the pieces together. "About time you had some heartache like the rest of us," she teased, nudging him with her elbow.

"I don't like it," Sedge grumbled, pouting.

Bianca laughed. "Welcome to reality," she said. But she looped an arm around his shoulders and gave him a soothing hug. "I'm sorry you're going through this," she murmured. "It's tough. I know it." She looked up at him through her long black lashes, biting back a sigh. He couldn't see the love that flashed across her expression; the split second of sheer adoration. "Believe me," she said softly, her golden eyes roving across his face. "I know."

Sedge didn't notice, as always. "I don't know what to do," he muttered. "I've never felt like this before." His eyebrows bunched together and he groaned, running his hands through the crest of fur on his head. "It's like I'm totally helpless. I've never been helpless."

"You'll get her," said Bianca soothingly, rubbing his shoulder. She leaned closer. "Don't worry your pretty little head."

"My pretty little head," Sedge repeated, chuckling. "Shut up."

She nuzzled his ear with a playful touch of her nose. "You can't make me," she teased.

"I can't make _her_ stop wanting Fox," grumbled Sedge, upset again. "What is it about McCloud?" he asked feebly. "I mean, why does he get all these girls that I want?"

"Are you talking about Fara?" asked Bianca, frowning a little. "Because I hate to break it to you, but she was only _one girl._"

Sedge scowled. "Whatever," he muttered. "Point is, he's got another girl I want. And I still feel shitty about the whole Fara thing." He groaned. "Why does he have to be such a _nice guy?" _he complained under his breath. "I wouldn't think twice if he sucked a little bit. But no," he said, exasperated. "He's gotta be one of the coolest dudes in the program."

"Maybe it won't last with this girl," Bianca suggested. "Maybe he'll find someone else he likes better."

"I doubt it," grumbled Sedge. "Krystal's amazing."

Bianca ignored the pang of hurt that crossed her heart at the longing in his voice. She pushed it away, as always. "Sedge Hawthorne," she said softly, grabbing his face between both of her hands. She fixed him with gentle eyes. "You are a wonderful person. At least as wonderful as Fox McCloud. And if you stand a chance with this girl, she'll see it." Bianca's eyes flickered between his, a little too loving to be simply friendly. "Believe me when I say that," she murmured.

Sedge sighed, looking at her with pale eyes. "Tell me why you're still single?" he asked teasingly, making her heart twinge again.

"Same problem," she said lightly, but her chest was tight. "The guy I want is unavailable."

"He's an idiot," Sedge assured her.

Bianca grinned. "Sometimes," she said, looking at him coyly.

"For not being available for you," he continued, too drunk to formulate a complete sentence. "I mean, you know what I mean."

"I do," she said, rolling her eyes. "Do you need to crash here tonight?" Then she frowned. "Actually, I'm forcing you to crash here tonight," she corrected.

His eyes were sheepish again. "I feel like an ass," he muttered. "I mean, I don't wanna impose."

She looked at him with a deadpan face. "Sedge, you're never imposing on me."

With a jolt of guilty pleasure, she felt his big arms wrap around her, pulling her tight against his warm body. "Wish every girl was like you," he murmured, hugging her close. She could smell him all around her. It was overwhelming.

"I'm just me," she stuttered, holding him with hesitant arms. "I mean, I'm only me."

"You're the best," Sedge slurred. "The best best-friend ex ever."

Another blow he didn't mean to throw. She smiled sadly, nuzzling into his neck. "Well, I'm always here for you, that's for sure," she mumbled, breathing deep of his scent. "I love the hell out of you."

"Me, too," said Sedge, pulling back to smile at her face. "You're a sweetheart."

Bianca grinned. "You already said that."

"Well it's true," he grunted, his eyes drifting shut. "Damn. I'm tired."

"Let's get you to bed," she said, getting up from the couch. She fluffed a pillow and tucked it beside the armrest, helping him to lie down on it. "Easy," she murmured, slipping her hand under his head. "Not too fast. Don't want you getting the spins." She scratched behind the warm, soft fur of his ears, making him sigh with comfort.

"Now I'm _really _sleepy," he mumbled.

She smiled down at him with loving eyes. "I'm gonna go get you a blanket. You try to relax."

As Sedge followed her advice, she padded over to the hall closet, pulling out a big, well-used comforter. The bundle of sheets was almost as big as she was. She hefted it over to the couch, spreading it gently over her unexpected guest, her pointed white ears swiveling around as she worked.

"You're gonna be a great mom," observed Sedge, quite drunkenly.

Bianca scoffed. "Like that's ever gonna happen," she said, rolling her eyes. "I'm the kind of girl guys wanna fool around with. No one ever says I'm mate material."

Sedge's hand wrapped around her forearm, shocking her to a standstill. "That's not true and you know it," he said, suddenly looking up at her. His expression was dead serious. "You're a total catch."

_Too bad you don't seem to think so_, muttered the bitter voice of her subconscious. "Maybe," she said out loud, fighting back her scornful thoughts. "Maybe to someone."

"To anyone," he pressed, frowning. "I mean, _look_ at you," he said, and she clung to the little bit of awe in his voice. "You know you're a rockin' babe."

Bianca blushed. "Okay, that's enough of that," she said, tucking him into the comforter. "Time to sleep. You know where I am if you need anything."

Sedge closed his eyes, nodding. "Thanks, Bee," he mumbled.

"No problem," she whispered, kissing his forehead.

She padded over to her bedroom, closing the door softly behind her. As it clicked shut, she caught her reflection in the mirror by the closet. She walked toward it, staring at herself. Small-framed and curvy, especially for a lupine girl. She blamed her mother. That's what happened when you fell in love with a fox. Then she scoffed. _Like mother, like daughter, _she thought, rolling her eyes.

She posed for herself, watching as her cute little nighty swirled around her thighs. Yeah, she wasn't bad-looking. Thanks to her parents, she had the elegance of a wolf _and_ the softness of a vixen. And hearing Sedge call her a rockin' babe was certainly refreshing. Of course, she had no shortage of comments when she walked down the street; but somehow, "nice rack" and "look at that tail" weren't really a match for Sedge's sweet, drunken words.

"Maybe one day," she sighed, letting a brief fantasy slip through her mind. Her white tail swished softly behind her. Maybe one day, Sedge would look at her with yearning in his eyes again. He'd hold her tight, and give more than just friendship. Then she pushed the dream away, shelving it for a rainy day. It was no use to imagine when reality was so different; especially not after what he'd told her tonight.

She rolled her eyes, brushing a long white lock out of her face.

What an idiot. "We always want what we can't have," she murmured, cocking a pretty little eyebrow at herself in the mirror. It was the lure of the forbidden fruit. But at this point, Sedge seemed to have an addiction. Couldn't he look at single girls anymore? Bianca frowned. Maybe that was her problem. She was single, and thus, undesirable.

Then her eyes widened, because she suddenly had a thought.

It was a horrible thought. A wonderful thought. A thought that wrapped up all of her feelings in a tidy little bow. Of course, there was no guarantee that it would work out perfectly; but even the thought of trying it was tempting. And if it did work out…

Bianca slipped into bed, biting her lip.

Could it really be this simple?

Maybe simple wasn't the right word.

Neat? Obvious?

Obvious. It was so _obvious._ Why hadn't she thought of it before?

Her heart thudded fast in her chest as she closed her eyes, trying to relax.

_Just sleep, Bianca. _

Sleep, and tomorrow we'll see what we can do.

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Ohmygoodness Sedge Hawthorne ... your lady friend is up to something! X3

I hope you guys like Bianca ... she's been a pretty interesting character to discover.

You see, usually, when I write, characters pop fully-formed into my head (kind of like Athena, only she popped *out* of Zeus's head)... It's really weird!

... But it's also interesting, because suddenly I know a lot more about the plot of the story I'm writing, and the character relationships therein. c:

I give all of my lovely readers a thousand cookies and a thousand kisses!

**Blahhh you are all so ridiculously fantastic! *mmmmmmmmwah* I love you guys ...! :'3**

Comments, suggestions, questions?  
**_Review please!_** I'll listen to your words!


	16. Nightcap

**I LOVE ALL OF YOU! As you should well know by now. c':**

**Here's another update about our favorite vixen. :3**

**I'm always so happy to hear what you guys think! Can't wait to hear what you think about this! *nuzzles***

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( ... Fox and Krystal get a bit more intimately acquainted. )

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**Krytal's Adventures**

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**Tales of the Cobalt Vixen**  
A Collection of Cornerian Shorts

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**Chapter Sixteen:** "Nightcap"

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Fox and Krystal paused outside the door to her room, looking bashfully at one another.

"Thank you," she said softly, her tail flicking. She squeezed him closer with her arm, still looped through his. "It's always lovely to have a gentleman walk me home," she murmured. Her eyes twinkled up at him, utterly gorgeous. "Especially when that gentleman's name happens to be Fox McCloud."

He blinked down at her, feeling his cheeks heat up. "Can't be nearly as lovely as having you on my arm," he mumbled, the words rolling awkwardly off his tongue.

_Oh god. That sounded so stupid._

She didn't seem to think so. Instead, she smiled, snuggling closer to him. "I hate bringing this night to an end," she sighed, nuzzling her feather-soft cheek against his shoulder. Her sweet, light scent wafted up to him, making his head spin. "But I do have an early morning tomorrow."

Fox's heart fell, and he hated himself for it.

_What were you thinking, asshole? She was gonna just invite you inside? What a dick move._

"You wouldn't happen to care for coffee, would you?"

The sound of her voice distracted him from his thoughts. "W-What?" he asked.

She looked down at the floor, suddenly shy. "I asked if you cared for some coffee, perhaps. Before you leave."

Fox's heart thudded. "Uh, sure," he muttered, swallowing the lump in his throat. "Coffee sounds nice."

He followed her inside, strangely terrified. This was the girl he wanted more than anything. Loved more than anything. She'd just kissed him at the bar, for god's sake. But that wasn't quite the same as being invited to her room …

"I hope you like my brew," she murmured, disentwining herself from his arm. He watched as she stepped into the kitchenette, light and graceful on her feet. As always. "I know my favorite might not be your favorite," she said, her voice slightly teasing.

Fox grinned, scratching his ear. "I'm sure I'll love it," he mumbled. He stood awkwardly in the foyer, debating whether he should take a seat at the table or head for the couch. Torn between the two, he hovered in the middle of nowhere for a long moment.

She noticed.

"You _are_ allowed to sit down, you know," she giggled, expertly measuring coffee grounds into a filter.

He bit his lip, walking across the room. Couch it was.

The coffeemaker gurgled to life, the sound of it drifting across the room. Krystal left it to brew in solitude, joining Fox on the couch. His heart pounded as he felt her body sink down beside him, scooting a bit closer. "I found it so interesting when I learned Cornerians drink coffee," she was saying, fiddling with something on the coffee table. Coasters. "Back home, we treasured it."

Fox turned to see a tiny smile lifting her lips. It was strangely sad.

"That is pretty cool," he said, trying to keep the subject light. "I mean, who knew coffee was intergalactic?"

That made her chuckle. "Indeed," she said, turning to look at him with big bright eyes. "Coffee, of all things." Now the smile was genuinely happy. "It makes me wonder where else it happens to be. Perhaps many millions of light-years away, in galaxies we'd never think to explore."

Fox grinned, feeling a silly idea forming. "We could make that our new mission," he suggested. "To discover all the coffee-growing planets in the universe."

"And divide them between drinkers and non-drinkers!" she finished, her eyes sparkling.

They both laughed.

Right on cue, the coffeemaker beeped, making their eyes go wide. Then they laughed even more.

Fox smiled at Krystal as she stood from the couch, her tail swishing as she crossed the room.

"Do you take your coffee with sugar?" she asked, pulling two mugs from a cabinet.

"No, just a little cream," he said. Then he was curious. "How to do you take yours?"

"A touch of cream and sugar," she said, grinning as she fixed their cups. "I know a purist would disagree, but I like my sweets."

She carried the mugs back over to the couch, setting them onto the coasters she'd pulled out.

Fox picked his up and took a sip. Hot, bitter, and ever-so-slightly creamy. Pretty fantastic.

Krystal sighed as she took a sip of hers and sank back down onto the couch. "Wonderful," she murmured. "Nothing like a good cup of coffee to round out the day."

"Couldn't have said it better myself," Fox agreed.

They sipped in comfortable silence.

Fox noticed that even this, sitting with her on a couch doing nothing but drinking coffee, was one of the nicest moments he'd had in a while. He glanced at Krystal. She looked so wonderful beside him; effortlessly elegant. He leaned into the cushions, sighing. He could get used to this.

She nuzzled against his side, cradling her mug in both hands. "I love the warmth of it," she said softly, looking down at her slightly steaming cup. "How it spreads from your fingers, to the tips of your ears." Fox glanced down at her as she closed her eyes, smiling.

She was quiet for a long moment, but the smile never left her lips.

"What are you thinking about?" Fox asked. He shifted on the seat cushion, lifting his arm. Krystal snuggled underneath it, making it loop around her shoulders. He blushed, frozen for a moment. Well, she just did all the work for him. He didn't even have to "yawn."

"The last time I had a mug of coffee with someone special," she said quietly. She didn't look up at him.

This must have happened on Cerinia, so he didn't push the topic. It always made her sad to think about her home planet. He struggled to think of a way to change the subject, but kept coming up empty-handed. He stared down at her. Would it be totally inappropriate to kiss her? Especially since she was thinking about someone else?

"He wasn't my real father," she continued. "But I loved him like he was."

_Oh,_ thought Fox. So it wasn't someone _special._ Not the kind of special he was thinking about, anyway.

_Does she think of me the way she thinks of her __**father**__?_

He shuddered.

Strangely, she giggled.

Fox looked down at her, wide-eyed. "What?" he asked. Why would she giggle while she was talking about her dead father? He was a little shocked. He knew Krystal was pretty well-balanced … But no one was _that _okay with death.

She glanced up at him, and he noticed she looked oddly embarrassed. "O-Oh … Nothing," she muttered, looking away quickly.

He blinked. He tried to think of something to say, but he couldn't.

She bit her lip, obviously debating whether or not to say something, too. "Okay," she finally mumbled, steeling herself. "I suppose I should confess something to you." She looked up at him through her long dark lashes. Her eyes were worried. "Please don't hate me."

Fox blinked again, even more confused. "Uh … okay?" he said, worried about what she might say.

She took a deep breath. "On Cerinia … Well, things are _different_ on Cerinia. _Were _different," she corrected, quiet. "Life there was woven close together. Closer even than it is here on Corneria."

"Closer?" Fox asked, frowning. "What do you mean?"

Krystal thought about how to word it. "There were no barriers," she murmured, struggling with the words. "We could communicate with every living creature. Mentally." She paused for a moment. "At least those of us who were in touch with that side of ourselves," she added.

Fox was still confused. "Communicate… mentally?" he muttered, thinking about it.

"Think of it like telepathy," Krystal suggested.

"Telepathy?" Fox's eyes widened. "Like reading someone's mind?"

Krystal bit her lip again. "Well, less _reading_ and more _sensing,_" she explained, not meeting his eyes. "Sensing strong feelings, which illustrate thoughts. I believe your people refer to it as being an empath."

"You can feel thoughts?" he asked.

A flood of embarrassment washed over him.

"It's okay," said Krystal quickly, looking up at him with earnest eyes. "I've turned it off for the most part, because I realize that here on your planet, your thoughts are private." Then she turned her eyes away, and Fox noticed she looked embarrassed, too. "But sometimes, if the feeling is strong enough…"

Fox's heart thudded. "Wow," he muttered.

What did she _know?_

"Please, don't be offended," she begged, looking up at him again. "I wanted to tell you sooner… But I didn't know how."

It wasn't that he was _offended, _really. But he did feel a little violated.

Invaded, almost.

"It's fine," he mumbled. He sounded like he meant the opposite.

Krystal looked very uncomfortable. Her body was stiff now, completely different from how relaxed it had been a moment ago. "I'm sorry, Fox," she murmured, shifting a bit on the couch. Now they weren't touching anymore.

Fox was quiet. He might as well ask it. "What… I mean, what have you… _heard?" _he asked. "In my head."

"Not much," she confessed, and he could tell she was being sincere. "But if your feelings are strong enough, and you're near me… I can sense a hint of them."

He closed his eyes. "Alright," he mumbled. "I mean, it's not like I have bad feelings about you," he added, trying to lighten things up.

She laughed. "No," she agreed. "They're always quite warm. And," she continued, as an afterthought, "I most definitely do _not_ think of you as a father."

Fox blushed. This was a lot to take in.

He looked at her.

Still gorgeous, as always.

But now that he knew she could feel his strongest emotions…

He put his mug down on the coffee table, feeling awkward. "I think…"

"Do you want to go?" she asked, looking a little disappointed. "I understand if you do."

He sighed. "I don't _want _to … Not … completely." He looked at her again, trying very hard to keep the longing out of his eyes. And voice. And thoughts. "But… It's just a lot to process, you know? That you can feel the things I'm thinking sometimes."

Krystal looked down at the mug in her hands. "It's okay, Fox," she said quietly. "It must be hard to fathom. I really am sorry."

He shook his head. "Don't be. I mean, it's a part of you," he added, and he couldn't help but smile. "Anything that's a part of you has to be amazing." He blushed again.

"Thank you," she murmured, looking up at him. She was silent for a moment, then smiled. Her eyes sparkled. "I hope this won't stop you from joining me for coffee again."

"Nothing could stop me from doing that," he said, honest. But he did need some time to think about this. Realizing the girl of his dreams was a telepath wasn't something he'd really expected. Or something that really happened. Ever.

He was distracted from his thoughts by the feeling of her arms encircling his neck. "I had a lovely evening with you," she murmured, her breath tickling his ear.

His cheeks grew hot as he slipped his arms around her, hugging her close. "Me, too," he said softly. He couldn't help but nuzzle against her cheek, burying his nose in her fur.

His heart swelled and he tried to tamp it down.

She pulled slowly away, looking deep into his eyes. "See you tomorrow?" she asked, slightly uncertain.

He stood from the couch, nodding. "Of course," he said. "I think we've got trainees to deal with."

She got up, too, and grinned. "That should be interesting," she said, cocking an eyebrow. She walked him to the door, considering it. "New students?"

"With any luck," said Fox, mischievous.

Krystal opened the door for him, but before he could step out, she grabbed his arm.

"I should have told you sooner," she said, her eyes sad.

He hated seeing her like this.

"I swear," he said, adamant. "It's fine."

But the sadness didn't leave her face. "If you're sure," she murmured. She started to turn back into her room, looking solemn.

Now he grabbed her arm, gently spinning her back to face him.

"I promise," he said softly, leaning close. "It's fine."

Their noses were a breath away.

She shivered. "Okay," she sighed.

Her eyes half-lidded as she looked into his face, begging him to make a move. At the bar, she'd been the one who started everything. On their date, he'd had the chance to do something; sweep her into his arms, kiss her, god knows what else.

But he hadn't. He hadn't taken any of the chances thrown at him.

So this time, he did.

Slowly, he closed the distance between them, until he could feel the warmth of her breath on his lips. And then, with a shudder of pleasure, he felt her lips touch his. A soft sound sighed in her chest and she slipped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer.

He wrapped hesitant arms around her, holding her soft, feminine waist. He could feel her melt into his hands, letting him pull her close. His heart fluttered as he pulled away to look into her eyes, breathless. "Krystal, I …"

She cut him off by kissing him again. "Goodnight, Fox," she murmured, slipping from his arms.

Then she disappeared into her room, leaving him speechless.

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Oooohhhhhh, things are getting a bit interesting! c';

And poor Fox, so worried about what Krystal's "heard" ... *sigh* ... that's what happens when you fall in love with a telepath!

**Any suggestions as to what should happen next? I'd love to hear from you! You're my favorite people in the universe! *huggle***

Comments, suggestions, questions?  
**_Review please!_** I'll listen to your words!


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